


Always Yours

by Millkywaay



Category: Actor RPF, American (US) Actor RPF, Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Real Person Fiction, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Awkward Flirting, Banter, Domestic Fluff, Drama & Romance, Drunken Confessions, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Family Drama, Father Figures, Father-Daughter Relationship, Flirting, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Friendship, Hollywood, Interior Decorating, Interior Designer, Love, Protective Chris, Protective Robert, Set designer, Sex, Sexual Content, Singing, Smut, movies - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-25
Updated: 2017-09-01
Packaged: 2018-10-23 22:19:00
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 31,853
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10728405
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Millkywaay/pseuds/Millkywaay
Summary: Alex Reed is an interior designer who works not only with people but also with movie set designs. She is hired to work on Infinity war movies and figures out that the cute stranger she met on the beach is Captain America himself.





	1. Buddy

**Author's Note:**

> I've been inspired to start another story. I hope you like it and remember that everything in the story, except real people and places, are fictional, products of my imagination. I'm looking forward to reading your thoughts! x

  
  
  
  
Hello Weekend! No, not the boy-toy new Selena's boyfriend... The actual weekend. Two days off to relax and recover after four days of intense work and one of partying a little bit too hard and long. That's exactly how Alexandra's week went. She's an interior designer who works with ordinary and famous people and does movie set designs. She loves her job, she practicaly lives for it. Alex is always searching for new ideas and fills her calendar with new projects. Her small office in downtown is bussier than Miranda's in The Devil wears Prada.  
  
It was Saturday. Alex woke up at 9 in the morning-as usual-brushed her teeth, jumped into favorite workout outfit and took her dog for a run at the beach. Buddy was his name. Bud was a labrador retriever who loved food as much as Alex did and because this breed is considered more likely to get fat than other breeds, Alex made sure he ran with her to stay in shape. Buddy always listened to her, but today of all days, when he knew he will be going to the vet for check-up, he decided it was the perfect time to throw a tantrum. While Alex stopped for a moment to breathe and tie her shoe laces, Buddy charged forward and ran after some guy's dog almost making the man fall down on his ass. "Bud, c'mon!" Alex huffed and ran after him. Thank god it was still too early for most of the people to come down to the beach. Less embarrassement. "Buddy, I'm not joking, come here or I swear I will leave you to the vet!" she shouted to the dog who barked back, like a child he sometimes was, and jumped into the water.  
  
  
"He's got some spirit" the owner of the other rebelious dog said with a grin.  
  
"You have no idea" Alex laughed watching Buddy rub himself in the sand "I'm sorry he almost knocked you down"  
  
The man smiled, gesturing "It's fine. I would've survived"  
  
"I sencerely doubt that. When Buddy comes at you, believe me, he comes at you" she joked making the owner laugh.  
  
"Okay, I believe you" he kneeled down to pet his dog who came back wet from swimming with Buddy."What am I going to do with you, huh Dodge?"  
  
"Buddy, come here" Alex said once again, more sternly this time and the labrador came as slowly as he could, eyes guilty, tail between his legs.  
  
"Look at those eyes" the man said "How can you be mad at him?"  
  
"I can pretend" Alex smiled and put the leash on her dog "No treats for you today" she stated looking at Buddy who whined in protest and lied down on the sand.  
  
"Well, don't punish him too hard" he said with a smile and put the leash on his own dog "C'mon, let's get home" he said and smiled goodbye to Alex.  
  
She smiled back thinking that the man looked familiar, like she's seen him before. Maybe she did. They both were at the beach, so maybe he also came here to walk his dog. "Let's go home" she said to Buddy who obayed and together they walked back to their apartment building.  


* * *

  
Alex was about to blow dry her hair when her phone rang. She quickly tip toed to the bedroom and sat on the edge of the bed to pick it up "Hello?"  
  
"Hey there, kiddo! You sound weird. Did I catch you at a bad time?"  
  
"Hey, Bob. No, no, I'm fine. What's up?"  
  
"Before I tell you, can you promise me to just listen and don't say a word before I'm finished?" he asked hopefuly.  
  
"It depends..."  
  
"Lexie.." he pressed.  
  
"Ok. Fine. Go"  
  
"Remember when you told me not to show your amazing designs to The Avengers directors?" he carefuly asked.  
  
"Robert...you did not." she rose from the bed and started pacing.  
  
"Shhh, listen. Remember?" he replied "So I've just talked to the Russos, took my script and whatever, when they tell me they're still looking for the set designer, so I thought, why not you? And so it happenes I had your portfolio in my car, so I just gave that to them and they were really impressed"  
  
"Really?" Alex asked biting her lip. She already had a contract with Marvel, because she designed the sets of 'X-men' movies and even 'Logan', but she never expected to work with the Russo brothers. The Avengers, Iron Man, Captain America, those where the epic movies which required lots of research and hard work.   
  
"Really. And they want you to design Infinity war" Robert replied with a smile.   
  
"Are you shitting me right now?" she asked, her arm on the right hip.  
  
"I shit you not. They want a meeting with you later today. If they like what you have to say, you're officialy a part of the crew" Robert announced proudly.   
  
"I don't know, Bob. I have a shitload of work right now..." Alex chewed on the inside of her cheek.   
  
"Lexie,this is big. I know you want this. You're perfect for this job!" he didn't give up.  
  
"Okay"  
  
"Okay?" Robert asked giddily.  
  
"I'm in" she smiled hearing him beam behind the phone.  
  
"Yes! I'm so happy for you right now!" he exclaimed making Alex laugh.  
  
"Contain yourself, old man" she joked "When's the meeting?"  
  
"I'm 35" he stated "At 2PM. I'll text you the adress"  
  
"More like 55" she teased again.  
  
"Whatever, Reed. I'll see you later" he then hung up.  
  
"Bye, old man" she said quickly before he did so.  
  
  
She couldn't believe it. She was given a major opportunity, she was still shocked. Only because of Buddy, who decided to shake the water from his golden fur, after the bath they took when they got back from the beach, her mind came back to reality. "Seriously, Bud? Are you going to be mad at me the whole day?" she playfuly asked the dog who barked back and then licked her palm. "I thought so" she smiled and went to get dressed for the appointment with the vet and then the Russos.  


* * *

  
"Robert showed us your work. It's impressive." Anthony said with a smile while he flipped through the pages of Alex's designs.  
  
"Thank you" she replied continuing to explain the detailing in decor she did on 'Logan'.  
  
"Okay, so if we were to hire you oficially, how would you change the Avengers tower?" Joe asked making Alex smile.  
  
"First, I think it lacks elegance. It's New York City, after all. I get that it's futuristic, because of Stark industries, but it should also be modern in a way that captures not only the future of technology but also New York's spirit. " she answered politely "I'm more qualified in interior design, but if you'd let me, I'd like to draw a few sketches in exterior design, so I could show you what I mean"  
  
Joe and Anthony looked at each other and smiled "That's exactly what we wanted to hear" Joe said.  
  
"And before I sign anything, I'd like to say, that I have my own methods of working. I'll need to interview each of the actors to capture their sense of their character in order to do my best" Alex demanded with a smile. She always worked like this.  
  
"You have a deal" Anthony nodded "Our lawyers will send you the contract later today"  
  
"Good. I'm happy to be a part of your team" she smiled.  
  
"We're happy to have you" Anthony smiled giving her a brief hug "We're like family here, so please, come and meet the crew and later we'll be having a meeting with the cast, though I think Robert is already here"  
  
  
With that the three of them exited the room and Alex was introduced to every single crew member. She had the time to interview a few of them, she was especially interested in costume designers who gave her a lot of details in what captures the essence of Iron Man, Captain America, Black Widow, Thor, Hawkeye and etc. She was happy with what she already had and was looking forward to meeting everyone in person.  
  
"Sooo, what's my favorite human being besides my wife and kids doing?" Robert came from behind startling Alex, who was sitting in a large conference room, typing away on her laptop.  
  
"Jeez, you scared me" she slaped his shoulder gently when he sat next to her "I'm finishing up my notes for each character"  
  
"Will you be making changes to Stark's tower?" he asked curious.  
  
"Yup. I'll make it pink. The Russos are totally fine with it" Alex nodded in all seriousness.  
  
"Don't you dare" he warned "Am I going to regret revealing your talent to them?"  
  
Alex shrugged "It depends"  
  
"On?"  
  
"If you're going to be a pain in my ass" she teased crossing her arms on her chest.  
  
"Never" he grinned like the Devil he was.  
  
"Seriously, though, thank you for this, Bob"  
  
"It's no problem, kid. You know I love you like my own, right?" Robert looked at Alex sweetly and took her hand.  
  
"I know" she nodded, tears welling up in her eye sockets "You think he's watching us from above?"  
  
Robert nodded "He is. And he's freakin' proud of you. I know I am" he smiled making them stand up and hugged her.  
  
Robert and Charlie, Alex's father, were best friends. Unfortunatelly a year ago, he died from cancer. Alex was an only child and very close to her father. And when he died, Robert was the one who picked up the pieces and helped her through everything. He became Alex's father figure and a close friend. Her mother was a drunk who only contacted Alex when she needed money. She only had Downeys and her grandparents who lived in Atlanta.  
  
"Okay, enough of crying. I can't stand to see you sad" Robert broke the silence making Alex breathe in and clean up.  
  
"You're right" she agreed "The meeting should start any minute anyway" And with those words, her phone rang so she excused herself to pick it up. She could see the cast was starting to go in one by one, or two at the time. While Alex chatted with her assistant about a current house she was working on, she couldn't believe what she saw. Freaking Chris Evans in all his glory. And she knew. He was the man her dog almost knocked down on the ground. This was going to be embarrassing. She finished giving Julie-her assistant- direction on what to do and which sketches to send to the owners and hung up.   
  
"Alex, come, meet everyone" Anthony Russo grabbed her elbow and together with his brother lead her to the conference room where at least 10 curious eyes stared at her. But her eyes, however, were only on one man, who looked back at her with a polite smile. He already forgot. What an ass..."Guys, meet the newest addition to our crew, our awesome set designer Alexandra Reed"  
  
"Thanks, Joe" she quickly recovered and smiled profesionally "First of all, call me Alex and I'm looking forward to working with you guys."  
  
"We were lucky enough that Mr. Downey introduced Alex's work to us, so please be cooperative" Joe added.  
  
"Please, don't patronize him" Alex joked "He will be more unbearable after"  
  
"Hey!" Robert pretended to be offended making everyone chuckle.  
  
"So you two know each other?" Scarlett asked curiously.  
  
"We're practically family" Robert smiled at Alex and she smiled back nodding.  
  
"Not by blood, but you could sort of call us family" she agreed "And while I have your attention, I'd like to interview everyone of you to get a sense of your character. So if you could just write down my office number and make an appointment during next week, I'd appreciate it" she smiled looking at Chris again, who now smiled at her with a knowing smile. So he remembered after all.  


* * *

  
"See anything you like?" Sebastian whispered to Chris who looked at Alex intently while she showed everyone rough sketches she did on the Avengers tower.  
  
"What?" he blinked "Oh. No. I mean. Yes, the sketches are great"  
  
"Man, you're being too obvious" Seb teased.  
  
"You really are" Scarlett added with a grin.  
  
"Oh stop it you two" Chris rolled his eyes "Besides, I've already met her before"  
  
"What? When?" Seb was surprised.  
  
"Remember the dog story I've told you about before? That's her" Chris replied.  
  
"Wow. You weren't kidding. She's gorgeous." he nodded in agreement.  
  
"Are you going to do anything about it?" Scarlett rose an eyebrow.  
  
"Yeah man, you should ask her for coffee or something" Seb nodded.  
  
"We'll see" he simply answered still staring at Alex.  
  
"M-h-m" Scarlett grinned shaking her head.  
  
"Okay, guys. The meeting is done. I expect all of you on Monday for your costume fitting and the start of the filming" Joe said "Have a great the rest of the weekend"  
  
  
Alex finished chatting with Anthony and typed a few notes to her laptop. She then bid her goodbyes to everyone. The cast was realy friendly and welcomed her with open arms. This project was going to be epic. She could feel it.  
  
"Hey, kiddo, you were fantastic!" Robert exclaimed "By the way, I'm having a little shindig at my place tonight. Some of the cast will be there. You're coming, right?"  
  
"Thanks, Bob. I hope you like the "A" on your tower. It really will be pink" she teased closing her laptop and putting it in the bag "I don't know. I was hoping for some rest. Too much wine yesterday.  
  
"I'll choose to ignore the first part" he smiled "C'mon. You'll rest when you die. Susan and the kids missed you"  
  
"Fine. Fine. But only for Susan" she teased an gave Robert a hug "See you tonight."  
  
"Bye, love you, kid" Robert kissed her forehead and left the building.  
  
Alex was about to follow, but she fogot her phone, so she stopped mid-hallway and turned around and bumped into someone 's hard as a rock chest.   
  
"Shit, are you okay? I'm so sorry" Chris looked concerned when Alex yelped a muffled "auch" and took her nose between her index and middle fingers.  
  
"We have got to stop meeting like this" she joked suddenly very aware that Chris' palms were on her upper arms.  
  
"Agreed" he nodded with the crooked smile that drove every girl wild "Here, you forgot your phone"  
  
"Thanks" she took the phone and stashed it in her purse. Well, this isn't awkward at all.  
  
"So will I'll be seeing you tonight?" he asked. Small talk. Wow. They were nailing it.  
  
"Yup. Bob would've dragged me out if I didn't say yes" she chuckled.  
  
"He could be persistant" Chris agreed "Okay then. I'll be seeing you later then" he awkwardly put his hands into his jeans pockets.  
  
"I guess so, yeah" she replied biting her bottom lip "And sorry again for my dog"  
  
"It's no problem" he smiled again "And I'm sorry for... that"  
  
"Yeah, it's fine" she laughed nervously "Okay then, Bye"  
  
"Bye" he replied as they started to walk in the same direction. "Garage?"  
  
"Yep" she simply replied fixing her hair.  
  
"Mind if I walk with you?" Chris seemed to feel as uncomfortable as she was.  
  
"I don't think there's harm in that" she smiled walking foot to foot with him.  
  
"You can never know" he joked.  
  
"Very comforting" Alex joked back.  
  
"Is it me, or is this really feels awkward for no reason?" he finally had the guts to ask.  
  
"Thank god, I thought I was the only one" she let out a short laugh.  
  
"Let's just start over, forgeting your dog and..." Chris was out of words.  
  
"Chest" she filled in the blank absentmindedly  
  
"Exactly" he nodded chuckling "I'm Chris. It's nice to meet you, Alex"  
  
She looked at him biting her bottom lip "Nice to meet you too, Chris"  
  
"That wasn't so hard" he decided.  
  
"Definitely not" she smiled and stopped "That's my car. I better go, it's time for Buddy's meal and he's not very happy with me today"  
  
Chris laughed from his heart making Alex grin widely. That sound was something else "Goodluck. I'll see you later. I hope"  
  
"See ya" she smiled and sat into her car. She let go of the breath she was holding. Jeesus. That was fucking intense. Alex had to slowly breathe in and out to calm herself down. This was weird. She felt weird. And unreal. She needed a drink or two. Or a reality check. Chris Evans was her co-worker. She was going to a party where he and everyone else were going to be there. To say that this day was surreal would be an understatement. 


	2. There must be something in the water

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Outfits:
> 
> Alex- https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/0f/70/c1/0f70c1d5fe7cf7ed15f7d05422c6d663.jpg  
> Chris- https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/ea/31/da/ea31da1da89cfe520350084350ba4046.jpg

  
  
Outfit. Alex had a dressing room full of clothes but still she had no idea what to wear. Like every woman in every country across the world...  _A little shindig._ That's what Robert said. With that man you never know what to expect. His parties always were wild. Does she wear simple Vans or heels? Dress or skinny jeans? Ugh! Alex was running low on patience, so she did as any rational woman does in this kind of situation- she took a bunch of dresses and threw them on the bed. Time for a little runway show in the bedroom. In front of a mirror. And a dog. Yep, Buddy was always the deciding vote. However, Alex wasn't sure he would be any help tonight after today's rebelion.  _At least you're healthy, Bud._ When she said those words to Buddy, he just yawned and turned his butt in Alex's direction. Even Alex had to admit- he was as stubborn as she was,  
  
Lex turned on the music on her laptop and stipped to her underwear. Why doesn't she have a problem with them? After she showered she just put on black lacy matching pair and was done with it. "Okay, Bud, let's do this" she said to the labrador and started to put on dress after dress. Too fancy, too vintage, too tight, too loose, wrong color, too casual, too much of classic. A sigh and a glance to Buddy who just layed on the bed and watched his owner silently. That meant he didn't like any of the dresses. "This is going to take hours!" Alex whined to her dog and sat beside him. She was nervous. She knew she will be seeing Chris who _**is**_ expecting her, at least he said so. Why did he make her feel weird things? It's not like it's her first rodeo. Alex went out with Chris Pine once and she wasn't nervous at all! He was a nice guy and all, but not for her. They decided the chemistry was wrong and left things at friend zone. They still talk from time to time. For a minute Alex wondered why she liked all the actors named Chris...Pine, Pratt, Hemsworth...Was it some kind of fetish? Or just a coincidence? Again a deep sigh. It was decided, Alex needed to call Susan.  
  
  
"Hey, hun, you're coming, right?" As Susan picked up and rambled Alex smiled.  
  
"Yes, I am. Just one question" Alex said looking over her black dress collection. She had a whole line reserved for them.  
  
"Shoot"  
  
"Will it be one of Bob's legendary parties where he does something crazy or a simple dinner?" she smiled as Susan laughed at her question.  
  
"Don't worry. Just dinner of..8 or 10 people. And open bar, of course. The only crazy thing Bob did - he dragged the piano outside for everyone to play" Susan giggled.  
  
"Thank you for making my outfit choices easier" Alex laughed.  
  
"We gotta stick with each other" she joked "Oh and can you do me a huuuuge favor?"  
  
"Anything" Alex nodded looking at herself in the mirror and deciding what kind of makeup she'll do.  
  
"Can you pick up the pie from Anne's?"  
  
"Of course, it's on my way anyway"   
  
"Thank you, you're a life saver. Later, honey!" Susan bid her goodbyes and hung up.  
  
  
What would Alex do without that woman was a mistery. Susan was an angel on so many levels. And she was there whenever Alex needed her. The Downeys really did save her life. Without any ditractions, Alex took her make up kit and started to do her simple, yet elegant night out makeup. 30 minutes later she was done and continued to pick out the dress. Buddy was still giving her the silent treatment until she put on a litte black loose dress with lace details. He barked and wiggled his tail making Alex beam. Her dog was the smartest labbradoodle in the world. The brunette gave Buddy a huge smooch to the bridge of his nose and twirled around to check herself out in the mirror. The dress looked good, showed her toned legs perfectly. And you could never go wrong with black. After another 30 minutes, Lexie was dressed from heel to neck. Just a little jewelry, and hair combing and she was good to go.   
  
In 15 minutes time she curled her hair into loose long waves, took Buddy out for a short walk and made sure he had water and food in case she decided to spend the night at Downey's. Robert always wanted her to stay the night, because he always worried she'd get hurt in the middle of the night. It was usualy Friday or Saturday, so it made sense in a way. Though, she was a grown ass 28 year old woman, who took defence classes few years ago. But, Alex guessed, his father instincts were too strong when it came to her, so she didn't argue.   
  


* * *

  
The drive from Anne's was also not too long. Only 20 minutes or so. Soon, Alex parked in in a huge driveway seeing two cars that didn't belong to Robert. As she turned off the engine and took the pie, she locked the car and walked around the house until she reached the kitchen doors. She had her own key, so she unlocked the door and stashed her purse on the windowsill. Then, she opened the box and took the pie out putting it in a beautiful glass plate. She took a deep breath and made her way to the glass door that led to the backyard where a slight noise was coming.   
  
She saw Chris, Scarlett, Jeremy, Robert and Susan chatting away and laughing at something and was about to say hello, when two newest editions of Downey's family, black retrievers, came running to greet Alex. "No no no no. Boys. Stay!" she said but it was pointless, because the two dogs were jumping around her and wiggling their tails in joy.   
  
"Kiwi, Demon, sit!" Robert commanded and they obayed "Hey, kiddo! Sorry, they're still in training"  
  
"Hey, Bob" she hugged him with one arm "Hey everyone" she greeted louder with a small wave, trying not to stare at Chris. He looked so damn hot she felt fire starting in her stomach. And she only glanced once, for fuck's sake.   
  
"Hey, Alex" Jeremy greeted with a warm smile, Scarlett followed suit and Chris smiled secretely checking her out.  
  
"Lexie, let me take that off your hands" Susan came to give her a kiss to the cheek and took the pie only to place it in its rightful place.  
  
"Where are the kids?" Alex asked when she perched to pet two retrievers who licked her palm happily.   
  
"We left them with my parents for the weekend" Susan smiled sweetly "Come, join us."  
  
"Too bad, I've missed Avri" Alex pouted making Robert roll his eyes.  
  
"I swear she loves Alex more than me" he complained to the gang.  
  
"Only because I bribe her with gifts" Alex laughed explaining to everyone who listened with bright smiles on their faces.  
  
"Yup, that's the trick. I always bribe my nephews with gifts or watch Disney with them. Must've watched 'Frozen' at least a thousand times." Chris added nodding and drinking his beer.  
  
"Noooo, what did you dooo!" Robert exclaimed dramatically but with a smile.  
  
"W'aat?" Chris asked confused, his Boston accent showing a bit.  
  
"Shall we make him suffer?" Susan arched her eyebrow, looking at Alex.  
  
"Please do" Jeremy eagerly nodded.  
  
"The audience have spoken" Alex said in a Morgan Freeman tone and went to the piano.  
  
"I knew it was a mistake" Robert shook his head continuing to man the grill.  
  
"Join us if you know it" Susan said as they all except Robert, gathered around the piano.  
  
  
Alex started to play the first accords making Chris go "No way!" and Susan go "Yes, way!"  
  
"The snow glows white on the mountain tonight  
Not a footprint to be seen  
A kingdom of isolation,  
And it looks like I'm the queen" Alex beautifuly sang.  
  
"The wind is howling like this swirling storm inside  
Couldn't keep it in, heaven knows I tried!  
Don't let them in, don't let them see  
Be the good girl you always have to be  
Conceal, don't feel, don't let them know  
Well, now they know!" Susan and Chris joined in with huge grins plastered over their faces.  
  
"Let it go, let it go  
Can't hold it back anymore  
Let it go, let it go  
Turn away and slam the door!" Now Scarlett and Jeremy also sang swaying to the right, then to the left.  
  
"I don't care  
What they're going to say  
Let the storm rage on" Alex belted out and looked to Chris who finished with "The cold never bother me anyway"  
  
  
"Now that's how you start a party!" Jeremy beamed.  
  
"You have a great voice, Alex!" Scarlett exclaimed with a huge grin.  
  
"Thanks" she stood from the piano smiling "I used to sing in high school and college, but then decided that my true passion in design"  
  
"Do you have any videos of your performances?" Scarlett asked.  
  
"Yeah, I'd love to see them sometime" Chris agreed.  
  
"I do. Tons of them, but at home" Alex smiled replying.  
  
"Lie!" Robert yelled from the grill "I have all the copies from your dad"  
  
"It's true. He even reserved a spot next to the kid's videos" Susan nodded in agreement.  
  
"Aww, Bob, are you getting sentimental on me now?" Alex made her way to the man.  
  
"Shut up or you won't get to eat" he warned playfuly.  
  
"It's sweet, really" Alex teased kissing his cheek "But we're not watching them tonight. It's too embarrasing"  
  
"Some other time then" Jeremy smiled as Susan took a call and excused herself.  
  
"Now, what the girl has to do to get a beer around here?" Alex smiled and before she could blink, Chris handed her one.  
  
"Ask" he smiled and toasted her with his own bottle.   
  
The brunette took a huge sip or two, she didn't even register, because the charm of that man was unbearable.   
  
"Well, I guess we'll be six. Mark had to cancel" Susan announced.  
  
"More food for us" Rob quipped.  
  


* * *

  
Robert's stakes and Susans salad were to die for. Those two really were a power couple that could do anything. They looked so cozy together, kissing each other's cheek, holding hands or just teasing around sweetly. Alex couldn't help but smile looking at the two of them. Even though this place, especially the backyard, where they were sitting right now, brought memories of her dad. The memories were happy, but at this moment they just made Alex sad and nostalgic. Which is why she switched to big girl's drinks instead of beer or wine. Thank God for Scarlett with who she hit things of easily and who made her laugh until she cried. And as a couple of Vodka shots where drunk, Alex heard one of her favorite songs at the moment played through the speakers.   
  
"I looove this song!" she exclaimed giddily, so Susan took her and Scarlett's hands by wrist and dragged them to the middle of the yard where they could dance barefoot on the green cut grass.   
  
"Save me save me,  shoot me down" Alex sung as the three girls danced their devils out. They jumped into the rhythm, then switched to slow motion bollywood as the indian parts of "The Parakit- Save me save me" continued to blast through.   
  
  
As the girls danced the night away, the boys sat on the plush garden furniture drinking and talking.   
  
  
"Okay, Dorito, here's what's going to happen" Rob said when he became tired of Chris staring at Alex most of the time "She's like a daughter to me and you're my close friend and a good guy, so I say it once and if you tell this to anyone besides us three I'll deny it, but just fucking go with it. "  
  
Chris almost choked on his beer hearing those words, none the less from Robert. "Don't pretend man, we saw it yesterday" Renner added "You like her, so act like it"  
  
"I know Alex and I know she sees you in that way too" Rob continued as he finished his whiskey "Even though is kind of gross to say outloud."  
  
Chris chuckled "I do like her, but I don't know if I'm ready to start dating again after Jenny" he admitted.  
  
"I thought you left things civil?" Jeremy arched his eyebrow.  
  
"We did. She's a friend, but it didn't work out not because of her, but because of me"   
  
"And why is that?" Robert pressed fixing three whiskey &cola cocktails.  
  
"I know It sounds stupid, but she just wasn't  _her._ Chemistry was wrong" Chris shrugged.  
  
"And what do you feel towards Alex?" Jeremy took his cocktail and sipped it.  
  
"I don't know. She's just...different" Chris paused for a minute "When I saw her at the beach, I was struck. So struck I didn't fuckin' do anythin' and then I met her later and things just got awkward"  
  
"Un-awkward them then" Robert rolled his eyes "It's awkward because you both like each other. It happened to me too at first"  
  
"What are you boys chatting about?" Susan asked almost out of breath and sat next to her husband.  
  
"Oh just how we first started our relationship" Robert kissed her cheek lovingly "About how awkward it was at first"  
  
Alex smiled and glanced at Chris remembering their awkward conversation. He looked back at her and smiled as if he knew exactly what she was thinking about.  
  
"Oh my god, I remember being nervous around you and you being an ass, but a cute ass" she giggled.  
  
"Please don't go into details" Alex laughed "I don't think I can take it"  
  
"Child, please" Susan scolded jokingly "You've heard stories way worse than that"  
  
"Don't remind me!" she exclaimed over dramatically, which made everyone laugh, so that was good. Alex really didn't have to worry at all. All these people were almost her new family.  
  
"Let's get a shot and to the dancefloor!" Scarlett announced and poored everyone a Vodka shot.  
  
When everyone cheered and drank, Robert took Susan's hand and led her to the dancefloor, Jeremy and Scarlett followed. It was an honor to know that they were dating and were comfortable enough to share that with Alex. She and Scarlett already made plans to go for coffee next week. And Jeremy made her promise to be his duet partner the next time the gang were going to throw their famous karaoke night.   
  
She and Chris were left sitting and smiling as they watched the four of their friends fooling around and dancing silly. "Another shot? Chris broke the silence making Alex look at him.  
  
"Yes, please" she nodded taking her long sweater off.   
  
"I'm glad you came, by the way" Evans said handing her a shot "Cheers"  
  
"Me too" Alex returned the smile and drank her shot "Okay. I'm ready"  
  
"For what?" Chris laughed watching her as she stood and took his hand.  
  
"What do you think" she winked as they both joined their friends.  
  
They all danced together in group, in circle, in pairs, they changed it up, then got back again. They even took a bunch of selfies. Then drank again, danced again, sang again until Scarlett almost fell asleep in Jeremy's arms while they talked about their favorite movies sitting under the palm trees. Scarlett and Jeremy decided it was time for them to go home, Alex said the same. It was late and she was hoping to spend Sunday in her own bed. Chris offered his driver's service and promised Robert he will deliver Alex home safe and sound. After all the goodbyes were said and hugs given, Alex sat with Chris, Scarlett with Jeremy and they all drove in separate directions.  
  


* * *

  
  
"Alex, wake up, we're here" Chris' soft voice reached her ears and his warm breathing, a very very close warm breathing made her open her eyes,  
  
Apparently she fell asleep on his shoulder "Sorry" she smiled with a tired smile and got out of the car, Chris following her.  
  
"You don't have to walk me inside, you know" Alex smiled sweetly when they entered the elevator.  
  
"I promised I'll deliver you home, we're not there yet" he replied licking his lips. Alex wished he didn't do that. For a moment she felt weak.  
  
"Dork" she shook her head with a short laugh.  
  
"Am not" he opposed "Just couldn't live with myself if some creep were to jump you from nowhere when you look this gorgeous tonight"  
  
Alex's breath caught in her throat, she felt her cheeks turn a light shade of red. "Said the guy who looks like a greek god" she mumbled but Chris could perfectly hear her.  
  
"What did you say?" he smirked watching Alex turn red.  
  
"Nothing" she waved it off "Must've missheard me"  
  
"You know, gods can see and hear everything perfectly, especially if they're greek" he teased crossing his arms on his chest, his muscles flexing under the shirt. Jeesus Chris, just kill her now.  
  
"Oh god" she laughed nervously covering her face from the fact that she actually said that outloud. Fucking Vodka makes her talk too much.  
  
"Who's the dork now" he chuckled and took her wrists into his own warm hands. "Hey, look at me"  
  
Alex sighed and dared to look at his baby blues, he smiled at her and stroke her cheek making her lean into the touch and close her eyes again.   
  
"You really look beautiful, Alex" he almost whispered and she opened her eyes to look at him. She wasn't sure what she saw in them.  
  
"Thanks" she whispered back and gently put her palm on his hand when the elevator stopped and they were on her floor.  
  
"Right" he said letting Alex go first.  
  
As they silently walked throught the hallway that contained 5 apartments, Alex tried to breathe deeply and calmly. She won't make a fool of herself again. "Here's me" she said silently.  
  
"Mission completed" he quipped while Alex searched for the keys.  
  
"Want to come in?" she asked innocently, purely because she was being polite.   
  
"It's late, Miss Read, you should rest" he smirked making her roll her brightly blue eyes.  
  
"Goodnight then, Mr. Evans" she teased biting her bottom lip.  
  
"Sweet dreams" he said and leaned in to give her a kiss on the cheek, trying to ignore the lips. Oh if she knew what kind of effect she had on him right now.   
  
She smiled again nervously watching him turn around and head for the elevator. She let out a long breath and rested her body against the door frame closing her eyes. Something was happening. Something she didn't expect. She had never felt this kind of chemistry before. What the hell was going on? Her heart was beating harder and louder in her chest as the memories of tonight played in her mind like an old movie. Chris' touches, them dancing together, his laughter. God, his laughter is the best medicine in the whole world. Alex was so in thought she didn't hear him come back.  
  
"Can't leave without doing this" he said taking her face in his palms and catching her lips in a sweet kiss. Alex was shocked. Her eyes were wide open as she took in the reality. He came back to kiss her. Oh. my. sweet. baby. jeesus. Chris must've felt her hesitation, because he stopped and took a half step back to look at her. He seemed confused. Maybe he read the signs wrong? He was about to apologise, when Alex's lips formed into a smirk and she pushed herself off of the door only to close the gap between them to kiss him again. This time the kiss was more intense and passionate.   
  
Chris backed her to the wall hugging her waist with one hand, the other tangled in her loose waves. Alex put her both hands around his neck enjoying every bit of the passionate encounter. "I'm glad you didn't" she finally answered to his previous words and smile catching her breath.  
  
"Go out with me tomorrow" he asked brushing his lips past hers.  
  
"Okay" she barely answered closing her eyes and breathing in the scent of his cologne.  
  
"I'll pick you up at 7" he searched for her eyes.  
  
"I'll be ready" Alex nodded with a small smile which he returned and gave her a short kiss to the lips.  
  
"Goodnight" he softly said.  
  
"Bye, Chris" she watched him enter the elevator and smile at her one more time. As the doors closed, Alex jumped a few times holding in her sqeaks. She just scored a date with Chris freaking Evans and she only met him this morning. What a day it was. She had to pinch herself to make sure it's real. Then she made her way inside beaming like the sunshine.  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	3. Let me love the lonely out of you

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alex: https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/9f/8f/0b/9f8f0b994b78077aa00574cc67a0b9e1.jpg  
> Chris: https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/64/b4/a5/64b4a5175d920a0062f472e4960403a9.jpg  
> Restaurant: https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/92/68/b4/9268b492433a307686a555c05604c748.jpg

  
  
  
Sunday. Alex slowly opened her eyes and blinked trying to see what time it was. Almost 1PM. Guess, she really needed rest after the week she had. Reed was surprised she fell asleep again when she went for a walk with Buddy at 8AM and came back at 8:30. She really thought she'd just lay around and read a book or catch up on social media. And after she read three whole pages, she dozed off and well, here she was.  
  
Buddy laid close, his head placed on her stomach. He finally decided to forgive her for taking him to the vet. "Good morning again, Bud" Alex said in a sleepy voice making Labrador wiggle his tail and lick her hand in greeting. "We need to get up" she said trying to gather her strength to sit up. Buddy just looked at her lazily staying at the same spot, not wanting to move. But Alex had to. She needed to get something to eat, clean up the apartment and figure out what to wear tonight on a date with Chris. She still couldn't believe they kissed. As the memories of last night flooded in, Alex's smile grew wider and-  
  
  
"Hello?" she quickly picked up the phone from the nightstand beside her.  
  
"Hey, Lexie" Robert's voice reached her ears "Are you coming over for lunch or do you want my driver to pick up your car?"  
  
"Shit, I totally forgot about the car" Alex sat up rubbing her eyes "I'll be there in an hour"  
  
"We'll be waiting" he said and bid her goodbye.  
  
  
Alex slowly got up and stretched out relieving her muscles from tension and sleepiness. After she shooed Buddy from the bed and made it up, she went for a hot shower until she was fully relaxed and clean. She blow-dried her hair, put on a pair of ripped jeans, a simple mint t-shirt, white creepers and leather backpack. Didn't bother with makeup, she looked well rested. When taxi came, she put on Buddy's leash and they both drove to Downey's. 

* * *

  
  
"Hey there!" Alex shouted as she put down her backpack and came into the wide corridor.  
  
"Hey kiddo" Robert smiled as he passed carrying a tray of food into the dining room. "How are you, Bud?" he asked making Buddy bark.  
  
"Let me help you" she said releasing Buddy from his leash.  
  
"I'm fine, but Susan could really use your help in the kitchen" he replied.  
  
"Roger that" Alex laughed knowing that Susan always makes the most delicious meals when Alex visits.  
  
"Hey, honey" Susan smiled and put on the gloves to check up on the chicken in the oven.  
  
"Let me help you, please" Alex insisted.  
  
"You can make the salad" Susan replied and Alex followed the order. "Did you make it home okay?"  
  
"Safe and sound" she nodded cutting tomatoes "Chris escorted me to the apartment door" she laughed.  
  
Susan smiled checking on the potatoes "That man is truly a gentleman"  
  
Alex nodded with a smile and bit her bottom lip making Susan arch her brow "He asked me on a date tonight"  
  
Susan grinned like the sunshine she was "And what did you say?"  
  
"I said okay" Alex put the radishes in a salad bowl and started mixing. "Do you think I should've said no?"  
  
Susan quickly shook her head "Of course not!" she exclaimed in excitement "He's a good guy, Lexie. You'll see"  
  
"Looks like he is. I mean...even you approve" Alex laughed remembering the previous guys she dated and how Susan and Robert always interrogated and scared them.  
  
She laughed cleaning up the mess she made on a counter before "We want what's best for you, Lex. Just looking out for you"  
  
"I know. And you two always were right" Alex nodded with a small smile when Robert came in.  
  
"My two beautiful women in the kitchen making lunch. How about that? “He said cheerily as he made a video with his phone.  
  
"If you put that online, you won't get any food" Susan announced with a warning tone.  
  
"Too late, honey. It's live and rolling" he laughed making Susan throw a kitchen towel at him, making Alex laugh.  
  
"And why are you laughing, missy?" Robert turned his camera to Alex "You're live too"  
  
"Hey Susan, remember the time when Robert-"  
  
"Okay okay, I see what you're doing “Robert laughed turning his phone around to himself "Can't let that girl tell you my darkest secrets! See you later!" he finished the live video. "Why can't you two let me show you off to the world?" he complained.  
  
"Some of us would like to keep our privacy" Alex replied with a playful smile.  
  
"You won't be able to keep that for that long now that you're on Avengers family" Robert leaned on his elbows.  
  
"I'm part of the crew, not the cast. I think I'm safe" Alex finished the salad.  
  
"If you say so..." Robert teased "Oh, by the way, I've heard you're going out with Dorito?"  
  
"News travels fast..." Alex stated.  
  
"Nope, just overheard you two talking while I was filming Buddy and Kiwi" he replied with a smirk.  
  
"Eavesdropping, really, Bob?" Susan smirked amused.  
  
"You can't trust the women around here" he joked making Alex throw the kitchen towel at him.  
  
"You're the one who can't be trusted" she said shaking her head.  
  
"Anyway" he rolled his eyes "I'm glad you said yes"  
  
"I get it, you two like him" Alex rolled her blue eyes "Let's not rush into conclusions just yet"  
  
"We like Chris, because he's mature for you. All the guys your age are too stupid to keep you safe and happy" Robert replied "Chris had his fun, now he's searching for something that you can give him"  
  
"Why do I feel like I'm being set up here?"   
  
Susan laughed taking out already cooked chicken "You don't know how many times Robert actually tried to set you two up"  
  
Robert glared at Susan making Alex arch her brow and cross her arms "What?"  
  
"Susan's overreacting" Robert gestured "I wanted you two to meet, but either you or him always were busy with something, so I gave up"  
  
Susan nodded cutting the chicken into pieces "And after one year you two meet randomly"  
  
Alex paused for a minute processing what she'd just heard. "Why?" she simply asked confused.  
  
"Because after everything you've been through, you deserve to be happy" Robert came to Alex's side "And he can make you happy"  
  
"Okay. But don't you think you expect too much?" Alex asked in a serious tone "What if it won't work out?"  
  
"Then it won't. But if it will, think how happy you and him and all of us be? One big happy family" he hugged her with one arm.  
  
"I get that you want me to be happy and I know he's a good guy, but please don't put this much pressure on this" Alex asked looking at him and then at Susan "Because I don't want to make things awkward between him and you if it doesn't go well"  
  
"Honey, don't worry. We're just happy you two decided to try" Susan smiled "You are like a daughter to us and Chris is a close friend. If it won't work out, we all be fine and won't nag you or him for it"  
  
"Good" she said with a small smile "I trust you, Susan, but you... I need you to promise me" Alex looked at Robert who sighed and nodded.  
  
"I promise" he said and took two large plates filled with chicken and potatoes "Now let's go eat"

* * *

 

At 5PM Alex was home and starting to get ready for her date with Chris. He previously texted her about the video Robert made and checked if they're still on for a date. He was so cute to make sure she didn't change her mind. It was almost too good to be true. Alex spent a better hour to pamper her skin and do her make-up flawlessly. She wanted to impress the man, who could have as many jaw dropping models and actresses as he wanted, but somehow chose her instead. She picked out a long red dress which showed off her curves perfectly knowing they will be going somewhere fancy which required formal attire. The nude classic high heels, nude clutch to go with and white gold earrings and rings. She straightened her hair and was about to dress up when she heard the doorbell ring. She glanced at the watch seeing the time and hurried to the door with her not so long silk robe.  
  
"Hey, Chris, please come in" she smiled shyly when he looked her up and down.  
  
"Am I early?" Chris asked when he came in and petted Buddy, who charged onto him.  
  
"You're just on time. I'm late" she gave him a guilty smile "Please, make yourself at home. I'll be ready in 5"  
  
"It's no rush" he assured her with a smile. To be honest, to him, she looked as amazing with that sexy robe she was wearing.  
  
Alex hurried to her bedroom to change. She closed the door and leaned on them breathing in and out. So much for impressing the guy. She was 5 minutes late already. Alex took a deep breath and put on a dress carefully. She smoothed the invisible wrinkles and looked at herself with a pleased smile. She hoped this dress will fix the first impression. Then it was heels and jewelry time, then clutch, then perfume and she was done. 10 minutes late. Not so bad, she hoped.  
  
"I'm sorry it took so long" she said stepping out of the corridor.  
  
"Stop worrying, it wasn't long at all" Chris assured her turning around to see Alex. And when he did, his heart stopped beating. His eyes roamed around Alex's body, his mouth went dry and his mind blank. He haven't seen anyone or anything more beautiful as Alex right that moment.  
  
"Chris?" she asked biting away the smile, mentally dancing, because the dress did the effect on him she wanted from the start.  
  
"Sorry" he coughed "It's just..." he paused and closed the distance between them "you look so damn beautiful"  
  
Alex smiled shyly hoping her cheeks didn't betray her "Thank you" she replied almost a whisper.  
  
"I'm the luckiest man in the world right now" he gave her a lopsided smile and leaned forward to give her a kiss on the cheek, making her shiver.  
  
"Liar" she smiled "I'm ready if you are"  
  
"I could never lie to you, Miss Reed" he replied and took her by the hand. "Let's go"

* * *

  
They didn't go far. Alex lived near Marina pier, where both of them were right now. Chris sure knew how to pick a romantically perfect place. Alex knew the restaurant when they walked inside. She was here once. It was perfect. But what she didn't expect was Chris making sure they had a separate table outside. When the waiter led them to the back and through the wide glass doors, she was taken by surprise. There were small, medium and large lights hanging around, candles lighting their way to the table near the sea. The table itself was perfectly set, torches around it to create a romantic aura.   
  
"Chris... This is..." Alex looked at everything with awe "too much, you shouldn't have"  
  
He smiled at her and squeezed her hand gently "It's nothing. It's for my own selfish needs really"  
  
Alex let out a short laugh as he pulled out a chair for her "Oh, if that's the case..." she teased sitting.  
  
"I'm high maintenance like that" he joked sitting in front of her "No, if being serious, I wanted us to have a perfect first date without any press or any other prying eyes"  
  
"Good thinking" Alex agreed with a smile as she took the menu.  
  
"I hope you don't mind, I picked out the wine" Chris said sweetly taking her glass and filling it with red wine.  
  
"Not at all. To be honest, I don't know much about them" Alex admitted looking over the dishes this restaurant served.  
  
"Me too" Chris laughed "But I had a little bird expert to advise me on this"  
  
Alex rolled her eyes with a smile "Bob is too much. Did you know he wanted to set us up a year ago?"  
  
Chris's eyes grew wide "Really??"  
  
Alex nodded "Susan confirmed it today. But it seems one of us were busy at the times he wanted us to meet"  
  
Chris smiled over his menu "And here we are in our own terms"  
  
"It's strange, isn't it?" Alex said "We have so many people in common and we've never met"  
  
"It's...unusual" he agreed "I've never expected that the girl on the beach with a naughty dog by her side will end up being my coworker and the most beautiful woman I've ever met"  
  
Alex bit her bottom lip. He was so sweet. "I have to admit, you looked familiar, but I couldn't quite place it"  
  
"What would've happen if you did?" Chris arched his eyebrow putting down his menu, apparently knowing what to order.  
  
"I probably would've made a bigger fool out of myself than my dog did" she laughed.  
  
"I don't believe it" he replied "You know, if we're being completely honest, I was beating myself up because I didn't get your number"  
  
Now was Alex's turn to arch her eyebrow "Why?"  
  
"I don't know" he shrugged "When I saw you, you were just this simple woman, who had something about her that was different and I just knew I needed to know her"  
  
"Sweet talk won't get you nowhere" Alex teased with a smirk. Even though it was a complete lie.  
  
"Aw man!” he joked "At least I've tried"  
  
Alex laughed at him taking a sip from her glass "Such a dork"  
  
"Is that bad?" Chris leaned forward with a small smirk.  
  
"Not at all" she smirked back and said her order to the waiter. Chris followed suit.

* * *

 

  
"Chris, I'm not ordering dessert with you" Alex said in a hopeless tone "I'm too full. Did you see the size of the duck?!"  
  
"I did. You should eat more" he nodded with a grin "C'mon. Let me enjoy the last diet free week"  
  
Alex looked at Chris and sighed. Those freaking puppy eyes "On one condition"  
  
Chris' face lit up and he nodded "Anything"  
  
"If I must eat dessert, I'll have mint chocolate chip ice cream which is not served here" Alex said with a wide grin.  
  
"Sounds good to me" Chris nodded and asked for a check "My place or yours?"  
  
"Mine is closer and I have said ice cream in my freezer" she shrugged and wiggled her eyebrows.  
  
"Sold!" he exclaimed with a short laugh and paid the waiter their check.  
  
  
  
"Bud, go lie down" Alex said to the Labrador when both she and Chris came to her apartment and greeted Buddy.  
  
"You know, I should hire you as my interior designer" Chris said taking the decor of her living room in.  
  
"In a mood for renovation?" Alex asked as she sighed in relief when she took off her heels.  
  
"It lacks that coziness. It's very...minimal" he answered looking at 10 cm shorter version of Alex.  
  
"Well, I will have more free time sometime next week" she thought for a minute "I'm finishing up three projects, so I can take a look at your place on Thursday?"  
  
Chris nodded with a smile "It's a date"  
  
Alex laughed when she figured out what he was up to "So all this decor talk is only because you wanted to discreetly ask me on a second date?"  
  
Chris smirked crossing his arms on his chest "Maybe"   
  
"Very smooth" Alex laughed "Do you mind getting the ice cream while I change?"  
  
"Sure" he smiled and went to the open kitchen area.  
  
  
  
When Alex changed into ripped jeans and long white sweater, she stopped at the corner of the hall leading into her bedroom and admired the view in front of her. Chris put away his jacket on the armchair, took off his tie and unbuttoned two upper buttons of his dress shirt. He was sitting on the plush cappuccino sofa holding the remote and searching through tv channels. It was so domestic, Alex pinched herself to know it was really happening.   
  
"Do you want something to drink?" Alex offered with a small smile.  
  
"No, thanks" Chris politely declined and patted the spot next to him.  
  
"You sure? I'm getting ice tea" she went to the kitchen area to grab a bottle of lemon 'Nes-tea'.  
  
"I'm sure. Come here" he gestured for Alex to come join him.  
  
"So inpatient" she teased and plopped down next to him.  
  
"I just really wanted to hold you" Chris smirked and put his arm around her shoulders.  
  
"M-h-m" Alex laughed leaning into his side "Eat your ice cream, Captain"  
  
"I kinda like the sound of that" he laughed taking his bowl of iced dessert.  
  
"Noted" she winked taking her own bowl and eating a full spoon of ice cream. "Sooo goood"  
  
"I take it it's your favorite flavor?" Chris laughed eating a spoon himself.  
  
"Correct. Give me a box of mint chocolate and I'm sold" Alex giggled eating another two spoonful’s.  
  
"Oh really?" he smirked amused.  
  
Alex nodded "Really, Captain"  
  
"I think you like the sound of that more than me" Chris laughed putting his bowl aside.  
  
"I think you might be right, Cap" she teased again and put her half empty bowl on the coffee table below.  
  
"I'm not complaining" Chris said and took Alex by her chin "Not complaining at all"  
  
Alex bit her bottom lip watching his face this close and took his hand by the wrist "You really shouldn't" she said quietly.  
  
Chris gave her a small smile and leaned in to kiss her lips softly. He wanted to do that since he saw her in that stunning red dress. Alex gladly accepted the kiss, closing her eyes and breathing in his heavenly scent. It was intoxicating. He drove her to crazy land. He must've felt the same, because Chris deepened the kiss, asking for permission with his tongue.   
  
Alex embraced his neck with both of her hands twisting her body to a comfortable position on his lap. Chris tasted like mint with a hint of wine. His right hand was entangled in her long hair, his right one held Alex by the waist. The kiss was heated, almost frantic as if they both needed each other to exist. And when they stopped to breathe, Alex almost wished she didn’t have to breathe at all. Stupid air and its usefulness.   
  
“You taste like ice cream” he beamed holding his forehead against hers.  
  
“Ditto” she grinned slightly pulling away. Just so she could see his face. “Thank you for tonight, Chris. It was really amazing”   
  
Chris returned the smile and kissed her chin “No need to thank me, doll. You deserve it”  
  
As he said those words, Alex sighed in disbelief “You really are something, you know that?”  
  
“I do now” he playfully teased “Let’s finish the ice cream before it melts completely.  
  
“Ay ay, captain” she laughed making him laugh too. It was the doorbell who disturbed their happy moment and Alex got up to open the door. She didn’t expect to be surprised tonight of all nights.  
  
“Mom?”   


 


	4. You give love a bad name

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The song- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SsYSm5h6FAM&index=15&list=LL2psl7vE_zCKv4TTRCQ70Yg

“Mom? “ Alex said “What are you doing here? “  
  
“Is that how you greet your mother? “The woman said coming in “Oh… you have another one of those…” she looked at Chris judgmentally “I’m Diana, Alex’s mother, you can be excused”  
  
“Chris” he replied briefly “It’s nice to meet you, mam” he said with respectful tone even though he didn’t like the woman’s attitude right now.  
  
“Mom!” Alex exclaimed getting angrier by the second “Go to the kitchen, please”  
  
Diana looked at her daughter, then at Chris, smiled with a drunk and disapproving smile and walked to the kitchen area, searching for Alex’s liquor cabinet.  
  
“I’m so sorry, Chris” Alex apologized as he gathered his jacket and tie from the armchair.  
  
“No need to apologize” he assured her with a small smile “I can see you two have a lot to talk about”  
  
“You have no idea” Alex sighed taking his warm hand and leading him to the door “I’ll call you later, okay?”  
  
“Okay” Chris nodded “It was nice meeting you, Diana” he said louder not getting a response from her.  
  
“Bye” Alex said with barely a smile “Thank you for tonight”  
  
“Stop thanking me. It was for me as much as for you.” Chris let out a short laugh “I’ll talk to you later. Goodnight, Alex” he smiled and leaned in to give her a brief kiss to the lips.  
  
“Goodnight, Chris” she kissed him back and let him go closing the door behind her.  
  
Alex was furious. She was sick of her mother waltzing in her life at random moments like she had the right to do so. She left Alex at a young age, just took off with some guy and fled the country. Then she got back, tried to fix things with Alex’s father, but that didn’t go well. Charlie always protected Alex from Diana, raised her to be a good person, to fight for herself, to never let anyone trump on her success. But at some point, when Alex had her own life after college, she found a way to forgive her mother and tried to help her. She paid for expensive rehab centers, tried to be there for Diana as much as possible, but it always ended the same.  
  
“You have a lot of nerve coming here and talking to my guest like that” Alex said to her mother “Who do you think you are?”  
  
“I’m your mother. You should show some respect for a woman who raised you!” Diana shouted hugging a wine bottle with her trembling fingers.  
  
“Raised me?” Alex laughed sarcastically “I think alcohol completely brainwashed you”  
  
“Don’t test me, Alexandra” she warned.  
  
“Or what? You’re going to hit me?” Alex didn’t give in “I’m not a little girl anymore, mom. I can stand for myself” she said walking to Diana and taking the bottle from her “You’re not drinking in my house”  
  
“I can drink where I want!” Diana shouted “Give me the bottle!”  
  
“Why did you left rehab? You were doing well” Alex ignored her mother’s shouts.  
  
“I don’t need rehab. I’m fine” she said angrily “God. You’re just like your father!”  
  
Alex froze and gripped the bottle by its neck harder “Don’t you dare talk shit about dad”  
  
“Or what? You’re going to call him? Boo-hoo” she rolled her eyes and opened the fridge.  
  
“He fucking died, mom!” Alex shouted, tears threatening to spill out “You didn’t even show to his funeral. You don’t even remember! Look at yourself!”  
  
Diana froze closing the fridge, grabbing an open champagne bottle “He died? Don’t lie to me, Alexandra!”  
  
“You know what?” Alex lost it, she put the wine bottle on the counter and took out the rest of the alcohol she had frantically. “You can drink whatever and as much as you want. I’m done with you. Take it and get the fuck out of my home”  
  
“Alex, please” Diana’s face turned into a begging mess “Don’t do this to your mother. Where am I supposed to sleep?”  
  
Alex grabbed her purse and took out 100 dollars “Here. Take it, find some cheap motel like you always do”  
  
Diana took the money and two bottles of whiskey from the counter “You’re a disgrace. I can believe I get you for a daughter” as she said those word, she left shutting the front door with a bang.  
  
Alex threw the open champagne bottle at the door and slid to the floor sobbing. Why did her own mother hate her so much? What did she ever do to her? Alex always tried to help, paid for rehab, and visited her every two weeks. And that’s what she got in return. A drunken mess, who forgot everything that’s happened the past year.  
  
Thank god for Buddy, who came to Alex when he heard her crying on the kitchen floor. He sat next to her wiggling his tail and trying to lick the tears off which made her cry even more. A good hour passed when she finally stopped. Alex felt numb, she just stood up, cleaned up the mess on the floor and the living room table and went to the bathroom to wash away everything that happened. Her mother managed to ruin her childhood and now she ruined the perfect night with Chris. A guy she really liked and wanted to try to be with. What will he think of her now, after seeing her mess of a mother? Everything was ruined.  
  


* * *

  
  
Monday. Alex didn’t need an alarm, because she barely slept even though she was exhausted. All night she worried about her decision to kick Diana out. Although, she probably found a shitty motel and drank herself to sleep. One thing Alex was sure about- she will come back for more. She always does.  
  
She got up from bed and walked in her dressing room to change. Today was the first day of costume fittings and filming, Alex had to be there to show her complete designs of Avengers tower, because the first scenes will take place there. And she had an interview with Jeremy.  
  
After taking Buddy for a walk, Alex grabbed her bag and thermos filled with coffee. She will need lots of it today. She looked like crap and knew it, but even makeup didn’t erase the evidence of insomnia and shed tears. Sighing Alex drove to work and silently prayed for a good day.  
  
“Hey, Alex” Jeremy was the first one to say hi as he strolled to the breakfast bar.  
  
“Morning” she managed a smile “Are we still on for the interview later?”  
  
“Yes, I’ll be available at 1PM” he smiled and then immediately frowned “Are you okay?”  
  
Alex flinched at the question “Fine, just couldn’t sleep”  
  
“You’re a bad liar, Alex” he smiled “Anyway, there are energy drinks out back” he smiled.  
  
“Thanks, Jeremy” she turned the corner and disappeared into one of the crew’s trailers.  
  
Costume fittings already started, so she had exactly two hours to finish some details of her designs and make sure the main room of Avenger’s tower is built properly. One thing to see the sketch, another seeing the result in reality.  
  
An hour passed when someone knocked on the door. “Come in” Alex shouted.  
  
“You didn’t call” Chris’s voice stole her attention.  
  
“Shit” she looked up guilty “I’m sorry. I’ve totally zone out” she sighed rubbing her eyes.  
  
He came to sit next to her “You look…tired” he frowned with worry.  
  
“I didn’t get much sleep” she admitted leaning into his side for much needed comfort. What is it with this man? He always made her feel safe. Even though they knew each other just for a couple of days.  
  
“That bad?” he kissed her temple and rubbed her upper arm gently.  
  
“It’s…complicated” she sighed closing her eyes.  
  
“You know I’m here if you need to talk, right?” he pulled away just to see her face.  
  
Alex looked at his eyes almost at the verge of tears “Let’s talk about something else otherwise I’ll turn into a sobbing mess”  
  
“Fair enough” Chris placed a kiss on her hair “How’s your work going? “  
  
“Pretty good actually” she replied turning her laptop to him “Take a look”  
  
Chris leaned forward a bit and clicked through a few designs “Wow, these are really good”  
  
“You’ll see one of it soon” she proudly announced. “Guys recreating it now as we speak”  
  
“Let’s take a look then” Chris said standing up and giving her his arm which Alex took.  


* * *

  
  
The rest of the day went smoothly. The interior Alex did was fantastic and looked great on camera. The Russo brothers were happy, actors were happy, filming went as well as it could. They even finished 30 minutes earlier. Alex managed to avoid Robert for a whole day, ducking in or out of the room when she could and showing up when he was busy doing scenes. She was ready to go home, just needed to get her stuff from the trailer.  
  
“Why are you avoiding me, Lexie?” Robert asked as she stepped inside.  
  
“I’m not” she lied caught in the act. Shit. She should’ve known it won’t be that easy breezy.  
  
“Right right” he dismissed knowing Alex was lying “So I guess I should talk to Chris to know what’s going on?  
  
Alex’s eyes grew wide “Please don’t. It went well yesterday”  
  
Robert got up from the leather couch and walked to stand in front of Alex “Then what is it? Are you protecting him because you know I would kick his ass?”  
  
Alex sighed shaking her head in pure hopelessness “That’s not it” Robert arched an eyebrow waiting for an explanation “She’s back” Alex mumbled trying to hold back the tears.  
  
Robert’s face went blank. He looked like he was about to throw up. He knew exactly what Alex was talking about. “What did she do?” he asked taking Alex by her upper arms.  
  
“She forgot” Alex sobbed “She forgot dad”  
  
Robert gulped down a lump that formed in his throat seeing Alex this miserable again. “Shhh” he soothed “Tell me everything”  
  
And so Alex did. She spilled every detail from the conversation to throwing champagne bottles. Robert managed to calm her down. They didn’t even noticed that they were the last ones left on set.  
  
“It’s going to be okay, kiddo” Robert assured “This time she won’t be able to quit so easily, I promise you that”  
  
“What am I going to do when she gets back today?” Alex sighed rubbing her tired face.  
  
“You are not doing anything” Robert stated with a serious tone “Me and Susan are coming over. We’re going to talk to Diana and I’m going to make some calls”  
  
“But-“  
  
“No buts, Lexie. You’ve done enough for that woman” he opposed “She doesn’t deserve a daughter like you”  
  
“It still hurts like hell…” Alex sighed.  
  
“I know, kid, I know” he replied and took out his phone to call Susan and told her to call the sitter and drive to Alex’s apartment.

* * *

  
  
As Robert and Alex stepped out of the elevator, they heard two women shouting. They glanced at each other briefly, before they hurried to the door.  
  
“She’s not your daughter, she’s mine!” Diana shouted at Susan, who was desperately trying not to hit Diana in the face.  
  
“You were never the mother she deserve!” Susan replied in a same loud tone “You’re a pathetic excuse of a mother, Diana. How can you do this to her after everything she’s been through?!”  
  
“What the hell is going on?” Robert entered first putting Alex behind him.  
  
“Oh well, the cavalry is here” Diana rolled her eyes stepping away from Susan “You’re weak, Alex. So fucking weak.”  
  
“Don’t you dare talk to her like that, Diana” Robert warned stepping further “Why are you here?”  
  
“It’s not your damn business why I’m here” she snapped “I’m here for Alex”  
  
“No, you’re not” Alex intervened “You’re here for money”  
  
Diana looked at her daughter and shook her head “I just wanted a second chance with you, Lex”  
  
“Second? Are you fucking joking?” Alex laughed in a hopeless tone “You’re lies are never ending. Why can’t you just be honest?! For once, be honest!” she shouted losing her patience.  
  
“You want honest?! Let’s do honest!” Diana rolled up her sleeves stepping closer to Alex, but Robert stopped in the middle, protecting her.  
  
“Let’s hear it” Alex encouraged.  
  
“I was 22, when I had you. Me and your father were happy before you came along. You ruined everything. You stole his love form me! “Diana shouted “You stole him from me, you pathetic piece of-“  
  
“That’s enough!” Susan interrupted with a horrified expression.  
  
“No, Susan, let her talk” Alex smiled with eyes full of tears “Well, mom, tell me what you really feel”  
  
“He always loved you more than me. Always. “Diana continued with a tone full of bitterness “You were the reason I started to drink. You ruined my life. Why did you have to be born?” she asked rhetorically “And you complained when I tried to raise you right, always going on and on about how I am bad for you. Always crying, pretending to be the victim. When the real victim was me! ME!”  
  
“You hit me, mom. Multiple times” Alex shook her head losing her voice making Susan and Robert gasp in surprise and disgust. They didn’t know it got to the point where Diana hit her own flesh and blood. “That’s not raising a child. That’s abuse” Alex continued “Did you know that dad wanted to call child services on you? He was prepared to go to court and leave you. But do you know what I’ve said?” Alex wiped her tears away angrily and stepped closer to her mom “I’ve told him not to do it. That you will change and stop drinking. You just needed support”  
  
Diana laughed at her face “Am I supposed to believe you? God, you really are stupid, I should disown you”  
  
“You can believe what you want, Diana” Alex replied “But you know that deep down, you ruined our family. You ruined yourself. You’re an alcoholic who can’t remember the day your so called love died. You’ve missed his funeral. You left him for cheap bastards you found in your drinking ditch. Yes, dad loved me more than you, but that’s because you sold yourself to anyone who bought you a drink. You are pathetic and I’m done wasting my life for the woman who doesn’t care about anyone but herself”  
  
Diana was shocked. She stared at Alex with wide eyes, mouth open, eyes filled with tears. Susan and Robert glanced at each other with pride thinking they and Charlie raised Alex right. It was time she finally decided to be strong enough to see right through the woman, who insulted Alex in every sentence.  
  
“And you know what?” Alex added “Thank you for making me break out of this illusion that you and I could ever be family” as she said those words, she walked to her dog and put on a leash “When I’m back, I don’t want to see her here “Alex told Susan who nodded and Alex left.  
  
“You have two options here” Robert said “Either you sit in my car and I will take you to the best rehab center in L.A. so you could finally heal and understand what you did all these years and beg for Alex’s forgiveness or you go straight to jail for child abuse”

* * *

  
  
Alex got back from the walk she had with Buddy. Her eyes were as red as they could get. Alex hated herself for crying because of that woman. She felt weak and angry at herself for letting Diana break her heart all over again. But this time, she promised herself, will be the last time she tried to help the woman, who didn’t want to be helped. Enough is enough.  
  
“Hey, kiddo” Robert smiled with a comforting smile “You want something to eat?”  
  
Alex shook her head and hung Buddy’s leash in its place. She was in a funk.  
  
“I don’t think you should stay here alone tonight, honey” Susan carefully said.  
  
“Where is she?” Alex managed.  
  
“She’s in a rehab center for the worst of them. It’s heavily guarded and she won’t be able to quit this time” Robert reassured.  
  
“Then I’m fine” Alex glanced at Susan briefly.  
  
Susan looked at Robert who sighed with worry. He didn’t see Alex in this state since the funeral.  
  
“Honey, please, for our sake, let’s go home with us” Susan gently asked and put her palms on Alex’s shoulders. And that did it. She broke down again in Susan’s arms. She was shaking and sobbing not being able to stop. Susan hugged Alex tightly trying not to cry, but it was useless. It broke Susan’s heart to see Alex like this.  Robert couldn’t watch the most important women in his life crying. so he stepped to Alex’s bedroom and grabbed a few things for her for tomorrow.  
  
An hour later, they all drove to Downey’s residence. Alex was silent, she probably cried her eyes and voice out. Something broke inside her tonight and it will take time to heal. But at the same time she felt relieved. Diana was locked in a center where they will force her to sober up. Maybe they will flush the hatred out of her. Alex was so out of it, that she didn’t notice Chris. Susan probably couldn’t get a hold of their sitter, so she called the next best person to fill in.  
  
When Chris saw Alex, his chest tightened in pain seeing her like this. He wanted to punch someone. He looked at Robert who mirrored his expression perfectly and shook his head no. Chris was silent, he took the overnight bag from Robert and touched Alex’s shoulder gently. She looked up at him and as the realization hit her, her eyes filled with tears again. She fell into Chris' arms, burying her face in his chest. Chris dropped the bag on the ground and embraced her, kissing the top of her hair. “Shh, it’s gonna be okay” he soothed in a whisper.  
  
Robert couldn’t take it anymore, so he walked straight to the dining room and then to the bar in it. He poured himself a double whiskey and one glass of whiskey for Susan, who followed him, leaving Chris and Alex alone. Susan drank the whiskey in one gulp and wiped away the tears. She was hurting seeing Alex and her husband like this. She was grateful that Chris was here to calm Alex down. Robert was too. He knew Alex needed him more than anything right now.  
  
Chris managed to calm Alex’s shaking body and convinced her to go lie down for a bit. He followed her to the room, reserved for her in case she stayed the night. Technically it was her room. He put the overnight bag on the two seat sofa next to the closet and waited for Alex to lie down. Chris then pulled the covers over her and sat next to her holding her hand until she fell asleep.

* * *

  
  
“What the hell happened?” Chris asked Robert and Susan when he joined them in the dining room.  
  
“I can’t even think about it without the urge to punch something” Robert replied forming a fist.  
  
“It was horrible” Susan said absentmindedly “I can’t imagine how she feels right now. I swear I wanted to kill that woman”  
  
“Somehow I believe you” Chris shook his head and took the glass Robert offered to his hand.  
  
Susan continued to tell the story of how it went with Alex’s mother. Robert filled in some details from the past, so that Chris would know the full story. He was horrified to know that Diana hit Alex when she was a child and blamed her for everything. Chris’ heart ached for the woman sleeping upstairs. He couldn’t imagine this level of hatred someone could feel. None the less to her own daughter.  
  
Couple of hours were spent talking about what happened until all of them started to get hungry, so Susan offered to make some snacks. While she twirled around the kitchen, the boys told stories to Avri and made her fall asleep. In the meantime, Alex woke up from two and a half hours of sleep remembering what happened. Her heart sunk again, but she didn’t cry. She got up, took a quick shower, put on a long warm sweater, pulled her damp hair into a messy bun, took out her contact lenses and put on her glasses and went downstairs.  
  
The only way she could feel better right now, was to sing it out. Alex already had a melody stuck in her head, so she sneaked into the spacious living room and sat in front of the piano. She started to play out the melody she heard in her mind, making Chris, Robert and Susan to listen. They silently came to stand at the arch door of the living room.  
  
  
“ _The world can be a nasty place  
you know it, I know it, yeah_  
 _we don't have to fall from grace_  
 _Put down the weapons you fight with_  
 _and kill them with kindness_ ”  
  
She sang out the words that came to her mind as she played the melody. She stopped for a moment to write it down. Susan whispered to the boys to come with her to the kitchen. She knew Alex needed the space for a bit. Robert explained to Chris that this was a way for Alex to cope with everything.  
  
When her father died, the first thing she did after the funeral, she wrote a song and sang her heart out right here in the living room. Alex felt better afterwards. It was a strange thing for her. She always wrote the best of the material when she was miserable. It was like therapy. Robert said a couple of times that she should make a record, because the songs Alex wrote were amazing.  
  
The three of them ate at the kitchen table and fixed a plate for Alex. Robert took out a special kind of whiskey from the bar and as Susan gathered three glasses and some snacks, they silently came to the living room and comfortably sat on the sofa. Alex turned her head to look at them, as every one of them smiled at her.  
  
“I’ve fixed you a plate” Susan said softly.  
  
“And I’ve got the stuff” Robert added.  
  
“And I’m just…here” Chris said making them all chuckle.  
  
“It’s enough” Alex returned the small smile she managed to form.  
  
“You’ve got something for us, kiddo?” Robert asked and Alex nodded.  
  
Chris watched the interaction between the Downeys and Alex. It was clear as a blue sky, that these three people were a tight family who had their own traditions and understanding of each other. They knew how Alex coped and gave her the space she needed to create. Chris was in awe getting to know this woman in front of him, who played the piano beautifully right now. And he was happy she had Robert and Susan by her side at this hard moment in her life.  
  
Alex repeated the part of the song they all heard before adding a few “Kill them with kindness” lines. Robert poured them all a glass of whiskey as they all listened to Alex’s voice.  
  
_“We're running out of time  
Chasing the lies  
Every day a small piece of you dies  
Always somebody  
You're willing to fight, to be right  
  
Your lies are bullets  
Your mouth's a gun”_ she sung the words that had deep meaning about her mother as the single tear rolled down her cheek and dropped on the piano key.  
  
“ _And no war in anger  
Was ever won  
Put out the fire before igniting  
Next time you're fighting.  
  
Kill 'em with kindness  
Kill 'em with kindness  
Kill 'em, kill 'em, kill 'em with kindness  
Kill 'em with kindness  
Kill 'em with kindness  
Go ahead, go ahead, go ahead now” _ – she finished singing the song and let out a deep sigh.  
  
The three of Alex’s cheering squad members sat silently, sipping their whiskey, thinking about the meaning of the song. Robert was right, Chris thought to himself, Alex needed to have her record. She could reach a lot of people with those words. _  
  
_ “It was beautiful, honey” Susan was the first one who broke the silence.  
  
“Thanks” Alex smiled and sat next to Chris, taking her whiskey glass “Thank you for being with and for me here today” she thanked the three of them, her gaze lingering on Chris, who hugged her with one arm, making Alex lean into his side once again. This little contact between them became almost their own tradition. _  
_  
“We are a family, kid” Robert smiled “We will always be there for you. Whatever happens”  
  
“No matter what” Susan nodded in agreement and smiled.  
  
“To family” Chris toasted.  
  
“To family” Alex agreed and smiled drinking her whiskey.


	5. I run to you

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alex: https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/e3/a2/db/e3a2db0871bdd435ec1a16dfd17ca2a4.jpg  
> Chris: https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/a4/c6/30/a4c630470ee52dedccd8a1e235fde559.jpg  
> A look at the venue: https://www.pinterest.com/TheMajesticDTLA/?eq=the%20majestic%20do&etslf=14339
> 
> The song Alex performed: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2C96iZHObk&list=LL2psl7vE_zCKv4TTRCQ70Yg&index=9

Five weeks passed since the night at the Downey’s. Alex spend the first two weeks burying herself in her work. She finished a couple of more projects regarding her interior designs for her own company.  She made progress in the development of her design app that she dreamed of for a long time. She didn‘t have much free time, so she hired her 20 year old assistant Julie to dog sit Buddy, because Alex worked really late hours if not all night.  
  
The filming of Infinity wars I was also hectic. Alex had to redo some designs on sight in order to create the right environment. The segment of filming in the Avenger‘s tower was done, so the hardest parts of designing just started and the designer was already in over her head. She needed a break badly.  
In those two weeks she had to cancel on Scarlett and Chris and reschedule the interviews later on. She felt really guilty about it, but couldn‘t do anything change it. She was just too busy and didn‘t have time for socializing. However, Alex constantly texted with Chris. Or they called each other if they didn‘t get a chance to meet on set. It happened more often than you could imagine.  
  
The movie was coming along great, the timing of completed scenes was perfect, so the Russo brothers decided to give everyone a week off. That gave Alex the time to wrap up the most important projects at the office and take much needed breather from designing „Guardians of the galaxy “ship and quarters. Alex had to work with graphic designers on many details, which was exhausting.  
  
Alex was about to drop off the last designs of the starship, when she tripped over a set prop and almost fell down. Good thing Chris was there to catch her on the spot.  
  
“Whoa, where‘s the fire “he joked holding Alex in his strong arms, still in his Captain America costume.  
  
“My hero” she quipped holding onto his shoulders for dear life.  
  
“At your service, mam” Chris winked with a playful smile.  
  
“How come even after a long day of filming you still smell so good?” Alex said with a smirk.  
  
“Because I know I’ll see this girl I like” he quipped “We can’t have a smelly Captain, can we?”  
  
“Definitely not” she replied biting her bottom lip, staring at his eyes. Uhhh, she wanted to kiss him so bad. She has missed those perfectly plump cherry lips of his.  
  
“Please don’t do that” Chris asked with a sigh and brushed his thumb passed Alex’ lips, causing her to let go.  
  
“Why?” she whispered.  
  
“Because it’s driving me insane” Chris admitted for the first time out loud, making Alex shiver. It’s been a month and a half since they met and kind of dated. They didn’t put any labels on their relationship nor tell anybody about it, but the sexual tension drove them to crazy town. Every time they made plans for dinner it got wrecked, every time they almost kissed on set, someone interrupted their moment. And that just made them want each other more.  
  
“Chris…” she whispered about to say something else, but guess what? One of the graphic designers came looking for Alex.  
  
“There you are! Hurry up, so we can all go home and enjoy our week of!” the man said making Alex step away from Chris and gather her binder full of designs. She mouthed ‘sorry’ to Chris and walked to the man and to the computer lab, as they all called it.  
  
During those five weeks Chris watched how Alex did her magic, making designs come to life. He loved watching her in a heated discussion with other designers who made everything look great on screen. They often disagreed, but Alex was so stubborn that eventually everyone listened to her and after a while she ran the whole department herself.  
  
Every day Chris saw that woman, every day he liked her even more. He loved her glasses which were too big for her face, he loved her way of clothing. She always looked breathtaking to him. He stole glances at her with hope she would look back. And when she did-magic. They both would smile at each other and sometimes she would blush if he started too intently or inappropratly.  
  
Chris loved talking to her via texts. He loved the way she saw the world, the way her brains shut down when he complimented her or said something dirty unintentionally. She understood him like no one else and he hoped that he did the same for her. He could talk to her for hours about everything and nothing. The chemistry was there it just seemed that the world didn’t want them to act on it just yet.  
  
When Alex finished her work for the day, she gathered her things and was about to step outside of the set property when Robert stopped her and called her over to the group of several people that included him, Chris, Scarlett, Jeremy, Anthony, Sebastian and Elizabeth. They were all invited to Robert and Susan’s 12 years of marriage celebration at the ‘Majestic Downtown’. Of course, Alex knew about that because she helped them with the venue and everything else. She explained to everyone the dress code, black and white formal attire, and set the time when they should start gathering.  
  
She gave them all the keycards to their rooms upstairs, because they all will spend the night there and told everything they needed to know. Mackie joked that Alex should do event planning if she ever got bored with interior design. After all the information was told in person, they all said their goodbyes and drove to their home.

* * *

  
  
The day of the celebration came quickly. Alex woke up with a great mood, took Buddy for a walk and came back to quickly grab a bite for breakfast. She had plans with Susan, Scarlett and Elizabeth. They were going to the spa, then dress shopping and then to get their makeup and hair done.  
  
  
“I can’t believe it’s been 12 years” Alex said to Susan as all of the four women laid on massage tables.  
  
“I can’t either” she admitted “I mean, I remember you being little and cute not so long ago”  
  
“I was 13. Not so little” Alex rolled her eyes “And definitely not cute”  
  
“You promised to show pictures and videos of you” Scarlett remembered.  
  
“Oh don’t you worry, Scarlett” Susan laughed “You’ll see some material at the party”  
  
“Whaaaat?” Alex turned to Susan who gave her an innocent smile.  
  
“Me and Robert did something special for our 12 years of marriage celebration” she winked making all the ladies giggle.  
  
“Should I be prepared to die of embarrassment?” Alex sighed in anticipation.  
  
“I don’t think so” Susan pretended to think about it.  
  
“Gee, that sounds so convincing” Alex sighed hiding her face in the white towel.  
  
When all the massages and procedures were done, the four ladies drove to Scarlett’s house where a bunch of black and white dresses were waiting for them. Scarlett called in a few favors and Elizabeth called her makeup team for these kinds of events.  
  
After all the makeup and hair was done, the girls made selfies and posted them online. They turned on the music, filled their champagne flutes with the golden drink and started trying on the dresses. A little runaway show you see in movies. The moment was full of laughter and posing. Lots of pictures were taken, Scarlett took one of Alex, when she was picking out the dress, but looked at Susan, who made her laugh with all her heart. Scarlett took it using black&white filter, which helped the picture to express the relationship between Alex and Susan, which looked a lot like mother/daughter relationship.  
  
Scarlett sent the picture to Robert who shared it on his twitter and Facebook pages writing a caption ‘ _Lucky to have these ladies in my life’_. A few minutes later there were comments flooding in, fans asking about the beautiful girl with Susan, other fans explaining that she’s some kind of family and that they’ve seen her before in older posts. All the Avengers cast liked the picture and commented something beautiful about it. Chris sent a text to Alex saying she looked amazing and that he couldn’t wait to see her later and finally steal a kiss from her.  
  
  
Elizabeth looked at Alex who was grinning from ear to ear replying to Chris “Okay. You two need to get laid” she said making the other two women smile.  
  
“What are you talking about?” Alex pretended to be stupidly naïve.  
  
“Honey, it’s obvious that Chris and you are a thing” Scarlett laughed “I don’t know why either of you just don’t get it over with”  
  
Alex thought about it for a moment “Is it _that_ obvious?”  
  
“Everyone in the cast knows you two like each other and had a date million years ago” Elizabeth said picking out a beautiful creamy white dress “He talks about you constantly”  
  
“It’s distracting” Scarlett agreed “Though it is fun to tease him about it”  
  
Elizabeth giggled nodding “He just turns red and deflects like you do” she pointed at Alex.  
  
“I do not deflect” Alex protested making the three women roll their eyes at her.  
  
“Don’t lie to yourself, honey” Susan smiled taking her dress and going to try it on “You’re like a daughter to me and I feel kind of weird saying this, but you two just need to have sex and see where that gets you”  
  
“Susan!” Alex exclaimed covering her face in embarrassment.  
  
“I’m serious!” she shouted from the fitting room.  
  
“Suzie, you little vixen!” Scarlett laughed “I like it!”  


* * *

  
An hour later all the women were dressed from head to toe and ready to party. The limo dropped them off at the Majestic where a bunch of press was gathered around. The Downey family made a deal that  all the press get a few minutes of everyone’s time on the red carpet in front of the venue and only a few of the magazine reporters and photographers will be covering the celebration from the inside.  
  
The four women posed for a bit with nothing but smiles on their faces and answered a few questions together and separately. Though, after the pictures were taken, Alex sneaked inside to make sure everything was perfectly set up. Alex gave everyone last instructions and made sure every guest had their seats prepared. The seating chart was a bitch, but the event coordinator and Alex managed to do a great job. There will be about 150 people present, many of them famous actors with their wives or producers and directors Robert and Susan worked with. Some of them their family and friends.  
  
  
“Wow, kiddo, you look like a trillion million bucks” Robert sneaked behind Alex and gave her a hug.  
  
“You look handsome yourself, old man” she teased hugging him back “What are you doing here? Go find your wife and go greet the guests!”  
  
“So bossy!” Robert mocked making Alex glare at him “Okay, okay, I’m going”  
  
  
In the next hour all the guests gathered and took a seat in the Grand hall. Alex patiently waited for everyone to come in and then gave orders to the staff that will be serving them all night when and where to put presents, food, drinks and everything else. She talked to the band, checked the song list and made sure they had everything they needed including their own table. After she freshened up and put a little perfume on upstairs in her suite, she went downstairs to join the party. Robert was already talking and thanking everyone on stage, Susan by his side.  
  
  
“Oh there she is!” he said suddenly making everyone look at Alex and making her freeze on the spot. She hated the spotlight “Make some noise for my girl!” The huge table where all the family and friends were seated roared with whistles and screams.  
  
“Okay, okay” Alex laughed aloud looking at that same table, where Chris, Scarlett, Jeremy, Seb, Mackie, Lizzie, Mark and their second halves were sitting and shouting for her. Though, Alex stole a glance at the only man she had her eyes on tonight. Chris looked stunning in his tuxedo and flawless hair and neatly trimmed beard.  
  
“As many of you know, Alex is like a daughter to us. She helped to put this all together tonight” Robert said taking her hand, Susan on her other side “I thanked a lot of people already while you were busy making sure we have our perfect night, but now I and Susan want to thank you” he said softly.  
  
“Please don’t tell me this is the part where the embarrassing pictures come in?” Alex said making the guests chuckle.  
  
“I’m afraid it is” Robert laughed “But don’t worry, everyone here loves you”  
  
“They won’t after seeing that” she made everyone laugh again.  
  
“Boys, play it” Susan said with a grin holding Alex’ hand while Robert took the center of the stage. No surprise there.  
  
“It must be strange for you all to see me not talking about myself right now” he joked making everyone laugh again “But in all seriousness, I first met this girl when she was 5. Her dad, Charlie, was one of my best friends” he started to speak, while the slideshow of pictures from Alex’ childhood filled the screen. There were a lot of pictures of her and her dad and Robert “When his wife left him, he and Alex came to live in my neighborhood. She was a little firecracker from the start” as Robert said those words a picture of Alex in a little white dress sitting in a puddle of mud showed up. The guests went “aww” and Alex turned red shaking her head, making Susan laugh next to her.  
  
“She was the light of my life until I met the woman next to her” he smiled at Susan who sent him an air kiss in return “Susan was great with Alex from the start” he said as a row of cute pictures of Alex and Susan playing, cooking, sleeping or dancing together showed up. Alex looked so happy then it made her heart swell.  
  
“And from that moment I knew, that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with Suzie Q” he said with a small smile” She saved Alex in so many ways and saved me in so many more.” Robert continued as Alex hugged Susan with one arm trying not to bawl her eyes out. “She was the one, who said ‘Robert, Alex will be the next Celine Dion one day” he laughed as the screen showed the mini video of Alex singing one of Celine Dion’s songs, which made Alex say “Dear Lord” out loud, making the audience giggle again.  
  
“And she said she will make a great sister to our first child” he smiled at both of the women as the picture of Alex and Exton showed up. Thank God, Alex looked good in that one. She was trying on the blonde hair do which worked for a while, but then it didn’t. “And to our next child, who, by the way, loves her more than her own father” Robert complained making Alex laugh at the screen where the picture of her, Robert and Avri was being shown. Robert was holding her in his arms, but Avri’s hands were asking for Alex and her face almost crying. And then the next picture Avri in Alex’ hands smiling happily and Robert sitting next to them frowning “I mean, look at this crap. It’s not fair” Robert sighed as the audience laughed again.  
  
“But anyways” he said with a smile again when the slideshow ended making Alex go “Halleluyah!” “I wanted to thank you, Alex, our first child, not by blood, but by bond, that you were here for me and Susan all the way till this day. You know how many times I’ve screwed up and you convinced Susan to give me a chance to not be an ass” Rob laughed walking up to Alex and his wife “You’ve made us happen even if you don’t realize it now. But me and Susan know it” he smiled and Susan nodded in agreement “Yes, we love you very much and thank you for everything that you’ve done for our family” Susan finished and the three of them hugged making the family table go wild again.  
  
“Okay, Alex, you can do this” she said after the three of them broke apart “I wanted to do this a bit later when you all be drunk enough to laugh at my jokes” she nervously laughed when Robert and Susan took their seats “But I guess this will do” she smiled as the one of the waiters brought her a glass of champagne “Gee, thanks, Robert, now I don’t know where to start” she joked as everyone smiled in return.  
  
“At least I didn’t cry, so that’s something” she mumbled again and to her relief everyone found that funny “Okay. Robert and Susan, you thanked me for no reason” she smiled looking down at them “I should be the one thanking you for everything you’ve done. I know I don’t say this much, but I do love you guys with all of my heart” Alex smiled as Susan started to get teary-eyed  
  
“When my father died, I had the two of you left to take care of me. And I couldn’t have asked for better parents than you guys” now Robert was tearing up “Don’t you dare cry, old man” Alex said tearing up herself, making everyone laugh aloud for the “old man” part. “You both were there when I needed you the most. Maybe sometimes you were annoying and at some point in my teenage years I wanted to run away with my first boyfriend, but you always managed to say the right thing when my own father couldn’t. I know he was grateful for all the things you did when he was away fighting in Iraq. I know he would be proud to call you his brother, Bob” Alex pointed at Robert, who nodded.  
  
“And, Susan, you were the mother I never had who showed me what it means to be loved and how to be a girl, because I swear if it would’ve been up to Robert and my dad, I would’ve been a tomb boy” she laughed making everyone chuckle again “So thank you for everything that you have done for me and continue doing it until this day. I hope I will find the love you both have for each other for myself someday. To Robert and Susan!” Alex finished her toast and everyone followed drinking their champagne and repeating Alex's words.  


* * *

  
  
After Alex’ speech, everyone ate their dinner, shared stories and laughed from their little hearts. Alex, courtesy of Susan and Robert, was seated next to Chris, who made sure to innocently touch her hand or the naked back the dress didn’t cover and whisper something in her ear from here to there.  She would lean into his side laughing happily and conversing with the cast like she has been a part of their family right from the first “Iron Man” movie.  
  
Time flew by fast. The more serious part of the crowd bid their goodbyes after dessert. There were maybe 70 people left, ready to have fun. When the guys went for a smoke and girls to freshen up, Alex sneaked to the stage and gave the sheet music to the band. Then she freshened herself up and warmed up for a few minutes backstage.  
  
When she heard that everyone came back, she made sure the piano player had everything right and took a mic in her hands requiring attention. “I hope you all enjoyed dinner and dessert. ” she said “Anyway, before we get to the more serious stuff of the open bar and the part of the drity dancing, I wanted to give Robert and Susan my present” Alex motioned to the staff, who took a few tables away and made a little dance floor for the guests to dance on. “By tradition, the groom and the bride should have their dance first, so I wrote this song for you to dance in.” Alex smiled and nodded to the piano player who started to play a slow melody of the song.  
  
  
“ _The city sky's feeling dark tonight  
We're back to back with our heads down  
Just look at me, give me more tonight  
Just give me more of your love now_ ” Alex sang beautifully as Robert and Susan took the dance floor and started swaying slowly.  
  
“ _Let's set fire to the lonely night_ _  
You're beautiful when you look at me  
Let's give love another life_ ” she looked at Chris and gave him a small smile which he returned with a wink.  
  
“ _'Cause you'll be safe in these arms of mine_ _  
Just call my name on the edge of the night  
And I'll run to you, I'll run to you_ ” Alex sung with a meaning, closing her eyes.  
  
“ _I would run to you, if you want me to_ _  
Just give me some kind of reason  
I would take the pain, take it all away  
Just give it some kind of meaning.  
Let's let go, let it be the start  
You know I'm feeling the same thing  
Let's let go of our broken hearts_ ” – she looked at Chris again who shook his head in amazement and breathed a simple “wow” under his breath. Sebastian, who stood by him patted his shoulder and told him, he was in trouble. Scarlett, who leaned into Jeremy agreed and grinned at Chris ordering him to keep this girl in his life before someone snatches her away.  
  
“ _'Cause you'll be safe in these arms of mine_ _  
Just call my name on the edge of the night  
And I'll run to you, I'll run to you_ ” she repeated chorus louder and belted every note perfectly. More people started to gather around Robert and Susan, who now stood up next to each other swaying to the right and left, watching Alex perform.  
  
“ _Even if it's gonna break me, love_ _  
Gonna make my way to you  
Anyway it's gonna take me, love  
I run to you  
I run to you  
Run, run_ ” she sang out and walked down the stairs to Robert and Susan, looking into their eyes she sang further “ _Cause you'll be safe in these arms of mine_ _. Just call my name on the edge of the night. And I'll run to you. I'll run to you. Even if it's gonna break me, love. I run to you_ ” she finished the song with a smile as the audience went wild and roared with applause and whistles, all of them on their feet.

* * *

  
  
“I can’t believe you did this for us!” Susan exclaimed happily “It was beautiful, honey” she hugged Alex tightly.  
  
“You outdid yourself, kiddo” Robert smiled hugging Alex in a bear hug “I swear no one has a bigger heart than you”  
  
“Stop it, guys, I love you” she smiled stepping away from the hug” You’re always bugging me to do my own record, so I thought why not create a song and sing it in front of 100 people” she joked laughing.  
  
“You did great, Lexie!” Jeremy exclaimed “It will be an honor to do a duet later on”  
  
“I’m looking forward to it” Alex laughed as Jeremy and Scarlett walked to the dance floor.  
  
“Can I steal you for a minute?” Chris asked with a lopsided smile.  
  
“Steal away, captain” she winked playfully and both of them walked out of the hall to the corridor next to it.

"I had this speech prepared on the way here, but now that i'm here, words left my mind blank “he laughed nervously.  
  
Alex arched her eyebrows seeing him this nervous “Chris, what is it?”  
  
Chris took her hands into his palms gently “Okay, first of all, you look breathtaking tonight. You took my breath away the moment I saw you standing in the spotlight” he smiled lightly “I know that we didn’t put any labels on our relationship and this past month was…interrupted” he said making Alex bite her bottom lip, driving him crazy again “Fuck it” he said crashing his lips onto Alex’. She was caught off guard for a moment, but quickly recovered putting her palms on his cheeks. The kiss was different from the previous ones. It was almost desperate, needy. It made Alex’ knees weak and hear heart beat million miles a minute.  
  
“I want to show you off to everyone” Chris whispered after the kiss, his forehead resting against hers “Be my other half” he said subtly making Alex giggle.  
  
“You’re such a dork, Evans” she shook her head slightly giggling. It was adorable to see him try so hard, when Alex was already head over heels for him. “And yes” she grinned widely.  
  
“Yes?” Chris beamed already, but asked just in case.  
  
“Yes, Captain” Alex didn’t pass the opportunity to tease him.  
  
“I’m the happiest man alive right now” he took Alex into his arms and twirled her around laughing.  
  
“FINALLY!” Sebastian was the first to burst out through the door. Apparently he, Scarlett, Renner and Mackie were listening behind the doors.  
  
Alex looked at the gang laughing “Very mature, Stan” she teased when Chris let her stand on her own feet.  
  
“Whatever” he gestured dismissively “Let’s go celebrate. My boy finally found the woman of his dreams” he beamed hugging Alex with one hand and Chris with other.  
  
“Calm down, cowboy” Chris laughed glancing at Alex who looked back and shook her head in pure happiness.  
  
  
Chris was the happiest man alive? Well, she was the happiest woman on the planet right now and it showed in the way her cheeks hurt from laughter and heart swelled with something new for this man right beside her, who kissed her hair and handed her a shot glass as all of their friends toasted to them.


	6. #Girlsgonewild

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry to keep you guys waiting. Hope you like the chapter. Another one coming soon this week. xx
> 
> Alex: https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/f2/de/2a/f2de2a66dd0cdfa8f69c55d05a546158.jpg  
> Anna: https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/31/0c/d5/310cd5edf76f3d7a54b72b70f2e43289.jpg

As Alex took a much needed cold shower, her memory of the whole night played inside of her head. The cast toasting to hers and Chris’ relationship, them both dancing together. The way Chris touched her cheek and leaned in to kiss her sweetly, the way his neatly trimmed beard tickled her neck as he whispered how beautiful she looked. How Chris grazed her naked skin, where the split of her dress failed to cover her thigh. Alex wanted for him to never stop. Chris didn’t want to stop.  
  
She sighed turning off the running water and reached a fluffy towel to dry herself. She felt a little more sober after the cold shower, but her thinking was still clouded by thoughts about Chris. Alex felt the sexual tension getting to her, she needed him, but it was still too soon. They’ve known each other for two months now, but officially became a couple yesterday. Moreover, she was tipsy and he had more than a couple of drinks too. And probably was asleep.  
  
Alex finished her nightly moisturizing routine and got dressed into her silky camisole and shorts. She turned off the light in the bathroom and made her way to the queen sized suite bed. She slid under the covers glancing at her phone and checking the time. 4:15AM… The party was a success. Alex smiled to herself thinking about Robert and Susan and how happy they were all night.  
  
She closed her eyes trying to fall asleep. Alex was tired after these hectic couple of weeks and between writing a perfect song and organizing this event, she should’ve been in her dream world by now. Unfortunately, her mind kept her up and she ended up getting up and grabbing her robe at almost 5 in the morning. Alex bit her lip in anticipation as she made her way to the right and walked to Chris’ suite door. When she reached the door, the flaws in her plan came crashing down in her mind. What if he was asleep? It’s been an hour until they said their goodbyes. She didn’t want to wake him, he was also tired from shooting and doing promotion stuff for ‘Gifted’. Why the hell didn’t she texted him first to see if he was awake? She sighed at her own stupidity, but it was too late to back out, because her body already knocked on the door.  
  
Alex was about to go to her suite deciding he was sleeping when Chris opened the door with a smirk curving his lips and a towel hanging low on his hips. _Fuck_. _Shit. Abort-_ was all Alex could think about at the moment. “Girlfriend” Chris mused looking over Alex’ barely covered body.  
  
“Boyfriend” she replied with a smirk glancing down at his abbs. _Shit_. And then back to his face. Chris stepped aside letting her inside and closing the door behind them.  
  
“You know I was just thinking about you” Chris smirked crossing his arms on his chest and leaning against the wall.  
  
“Really? And what did you think about exactly?” she flirted with a sly smile.  
  
“I’d rather hear your answer as to why you’re here at this late hour?” he came to sit next to her on the edge of the bed, shoulder to shoulder.  
  
“Couldn’t sleep” Alex replied quickly “Your turn, Captain” she said biting her bottom lip.  
  
“I can’t tell you that” he reached her lips with his thumb and forced her to let it go. Alex noticed that her lip biting was doing something to Chris every time she did so. It was what made him thick.  
  
“And why is that?” she pressed softly staring at his impossibly deep blue eyes.  
  
“Because it might be inappropriate” he deadpanned staring back at her.  
  
_Holy shit_. Alex took a sharp audible breath. Chris was getting the reaction he wanted from her and smirked. _That little bastard_. “Well, communication is the key of a good relationship, right?”  
  
“Alex…” he warned feeling turned on seeing her like this, in her silky camisole and shorts with fucking lace details. And it was blue for god’s sake. His favorite kind of blue. And that fucking silky robe was about to slip from her shoulder exposing it.  
  
“Chris” she challenged him. It was like her heart and body wanted Chris to take charge and take her right here right now, but her mind screamed at her for acting like a horny teenager.  
  
“I wouldn’t know how to begin to tell you” he leaned in to place a kiss on her now naked shoulder and then her neck, making Alex lift her head slightly.  
  
“Then why don’t you show me?” she almost whispered enjoying his lips and hot breath on her neck.  
  
Chris stopped glancing at her and studied her a bit flushed face “I would-“  
  
“But it’s in our best interest to do this the right way when we’re sober” she finished closing her eyes and sighing.  
  
“Exactly” Chris smiled and turned her head to his by the chin to look into her beautiful blue eyes that reminded him of the ocean. “I want this as much as you do, but I want to make it special for you more”  
  
Alex looked at his sincere expression and his soft eyes and smiled. Just like that, he melted her heart and managed to calm her hormones at the same time. She closed the gap between them and kissed his lips gently. Chris smiled into the kiss “Come on, let’s go to sleep”  


* * *

  
  
Alex peered her eyes open, slowly. She woke up due to Chris’ tossing to turn off his alarm. It must’ve been 9:30 AM already. They were supposed to meet everyone for breakfast downstairs at 10AM. Alex smiled as she realized they both slept in one bed rather than in separate suites.  
  
“Good morning, girlfriend” Chris spoke softly and pressed his lips to Alex’.  
  
“Mornin’, boyfriend” she snorted at the exchange. “Can’t get used to it, can you?”  
  
“It’s still unbelievable to me” Chris smiled propping on his elbow and hovering over Alex as she rubbed her eyes and looked up at him.  
  
“It’s a bit juvenile, isn’t it?” she smiled reaching the back of his neck with one of her hand.  
  
“It is, but in a good way…Right?” he asked frowning for a second.  
  
“Totally” she laughed shaking her head “Chris Evans the dork” she teased.  
  
“Oh shattap” he rolled his eyes and kissed her deeply. Before they knew it, their exchange grew into a passionate body on body, hands roaming and nibbling at each other’s skin, make out session. But as they ran out of air, Robert knocked on the door shouting:”Waky waky, Evans! I’ll see you downstairs in 10. Oh and by the way, try waking up your girlfriend, because she seems to be dead asleep”  
  
“See you soon, Bob” Chris shouted back and when Robert was long gone, they both burst out into laughter. Chris animated his laughter with a grab of his left pectoral and Alex buried herself under the blanket shaking her head and trying to catch her breath.  
  
“I love the sound of your laughter” Chris grinned and watched as she sat up and tried to comb her messy hair.  
  
“Well, yours is more contagious” Alex replied with a wink and got up putting her robe on. Not that it covered anything but her cleavage.  
  
“See you downstairs, beautiful” Chris took the hint as she made her way to the suite door and glanced through the peep hole to see if anyone was around.  
  
“Laters, handsome” she winked playfully and exited the suite running towards her own silently.  
  
  
  
**#  
  
**  
  
“Well if it isn’t a sleeping beauty” Robert announced looking towards Alex as she walked the stairs “Feeling hung-over?”  
  
Alex rolled her eyes and smiled “Good morning to you too, Bob and no. No hangover”  
  
“Lucky you” Sebastian frowned as Alex approached him and gave him a hug hello.  
  
“Lots of orange juice and ice cream will cure everything” Alex gave him her recipe for the hangover cure.  
  
“I’ll try anything at this point” he smiled appreciatively.  
  
“It really works” Robert added with a nod.  
  
“Where’s everyone else?” Alex asked glancing around and missing Chris, Mackie, Scarlett and Jeremy.  
  
“Your boyfriend and Mackie went to help the staff with the presents” Sebastian informed “And Renner and Scarlett had to bail to pick up Rose”  
  
“Is everything okay?” she asked a bit concerned.  
  
“Their baby sitter felt sick and after calling the doctor in, found out she has a flu, so they hurried to check if Rose didn’t catch it as well” Susan replied.  
  
“I hope she’s okay” Alex nodded.  
  
“I’m sure they’ll be fine” Susan smiled softly.  
  
Alex was about to say something, when Robert’s lips spread into a wide grin as he looked in a particular direction and before Alex had a chance to turn around, she heard her old nickname being shouted “T-Lex!” She all but turned into the direction of the voice and let out an accidental happy squeal “Anna banana!” she shouted back with a wide grin and launched herself at the female blond friend.  
  
“What…H-HOW ARE YOU HERE?” Alex hugged her friend squeezing her as tightly as she could.  
  
“Robert and Susan invited us, but since we couldn’t fly in yesterday, we thought we’d join you for breakfast instead” Anna explained with a wide smile letting go of Alex.  
  
“And you didn’t think to tell me you’re coming?” she playfully rolled her eyes “I’ve missed you like hell”  
  
“Pff! It wouldn’t have been a surprise if I called you” Anna beamed winking “I’ve missed you too, hun”  
  
“Wait. Where’s _the_ husband?” Alex remembered and glanced at the direction where her Chris hugged Anna’s Chris. As if on cue, Pratt looked at their direction and started walking towards them with a wide smile.  
  
“Reed” he said with a serious tone while Evans hugged Anna in a friendly greeting.  
  
“Pratt” Alex replied in equal tone before they both started laughing and Pratt embraced his long-time friend and twirled Alex around to everyone’s amusement.  
  
“How come everyone knew you before I ever got the chance?” Evans pouted playfully.  
  
“Because you didn’t want to be set up on a blind date” Anna replied with a smirk.  
  
“Wait. You two also tried to set us up?” Alex asked when Pratt let her go.  
  
“Remember the New Year’s Eve at the Marina?” Anna looked at Alex with a meaning.  
  
“No shit” Alex laughed amused “It’s been two years since you wanted us to meet and a year since Bob and Susan”  
  
Chris shook his head with a smile “I guess we needed to meet in our own time” he put his arm around Alex’ waist.  
  
“Wait…so you two?” Anna’s smile grew as Alex nodded “Holy shit!”  
  
“Oooooh” Pratt grinned patting Chris’ shoulder.  
  
“Yup” Chris grinned squeezing Alex’ side gently.  
  
“What’s the “ooooh?” Alex asked looking up at her boyfriend and then at her friend suspiciously.  
  
“He told me he had met a girl he will marry” Pratt spilled the beans causing Chris to glare at him.  
  
“Is that so?” Alex grinned.  
  
“There’s no going back from this one, Evans” Robert quipped as he, Susan, Seb and Mackie came to say hi to Anna and Chris.  
  
“Wasn’t planning on it” he winked looking down at Alex who bit her lip and shook her head in amazement. Chris Evans talked about her with one of his best friends already. He wondered who else knew about their relationship.  
  
“Yeah, well, let’s not jump that far yet” Alex smiled at Robert and then all of them made their way to the hall for breakfast.  


* * *

  
  
The day went as well as it could. The gang ate breakfast and talked about the ‘Infinity war’ movies, discussing the details and their schedules, already planning their karaoke nights and beer pong on the side. They even decided to go to Vegas for a couple of days since they had a week off of filming.  
  
Pratt and Anna shared latest news from their lives, they told Chris how both of them knew Alex. Pratt and Alex went from first to sixth grade together, he was her first childhood kiss. Later they reunited in high school and became best friends, then their paths separated, but they kept in touch and when Alex finished college they accidentally met in a coffee shop near the beach and talked every week via smart phone or in person. Alex met Anna when she and Pratt started dating and they instantly became friends. They’ve tried to meet as often as possible even if Chris wasn’t in town. Anna was the kind of friend, who knew everything about Alex and it didn’t matter how much time had passed since they saw each other face to face, their friendship always stayed the same as if they met every day.  
  
Robert and Susan unpacked their gifts and thanked everyone for everything. They all packed their stuff and got out of the Majestic in the middle of the afternoon. Anna announced that she’ll be stealing Alex for girls night out, while Pratt whined that he wasn’t included, jokingly, of course. The boys too needed time to have a proper night to themselves. As they all said their goodbyes for now, Alex drove to her apartment building and at the instant her legs carried her to the bedroom, she collapsed on the bed for a nap. If Anna and Alex were going out, there will be lots of Long Island cocktails involved, which meant Alex needed to sleep as much as she could.  
  
The brunette woke up to the sound of her door ringing. She immediately jumped from the bed and rushed to it, not bothering to look at herself in the mirror.  It was her dog sitter, she brought Buddy home. He instantly jumped on Alex making her stumble, but thankfully she didn’t fall. “Thank you so much, Becka! You’re a life saver” Alex smiled to the 18 year old girl that lived in her building and was more than happy to look out for Bud.   
  
“Are you hungry, little angel?” Alex asked Buddy who barked and ran towards his bowls “That’s what I thought” she giggled following the dog and filling his bowls full of food and water. Alex glanced at the wall clock to see how many hours she slept. Four. It was more than enough to keep up with Farris. She smiled to herself being pleased and walked towards her bathroom to freshen up.  
  
45 minutes later, Alex had her evening makeup done and her hair brushed to one side to perfection. She was going for a subtly sexy look tonight. She looked over her wardrobe and then glanced to Buddy, who calmly chewed on his toy. “Okay, Bud. Let’s go for a skirt tonight” she smirked to herself and got dressed. Her doorbell rang and Alex tip toed to open the door.  
  
  
“Well damn girl” was the first reaction Anna gave Alex “Oh we must take pictures and post it online to tease certain people” Anna laughed voicing her evil plan.  
  
“A few pieces of jewelry and heels and I’m in” Alex smirked letting her friend inside the apartment “But first...Shall we open some wine?”  
  
“You are reading my mind” Anna grinned and went straight for the living room sofa to pet Buddy who sniffed her excitedly.  
  
“That would be my superpower, yes” Alex joked bringing two glasses and red Italian wine to her friend.  
  
“So…tell me everything” Anna grinned looking expectantly at Alex while she poured the wine into the glasses.  
  
“Okay…where to start?” Alex thought out loud.  
  
“How about you tell me how you met Chris” she beamed and took a sip from her wine glass.  
  
“Should’ve know you wanted to know that” Alex laughed as she took a sip of wine herself.  
  
  
Alex told everything that happened since the last time girls saw each other. She told the story how Buddy almost knocked Chris down and when they met at the meeting that Robert made happen by not so accidentally showing Alex’ work to Russo brothers. She told Anna about last night’s celebrations and her mother’s visit. The two friends almost cried when Alex got emotional, but got through that by drinking a whole glass of wine in one breath. That made them instantly buzzed, but not drunk.  
After that, Anna and Alex freshened up and took some silly pictures in the bathroom, then in the living room and tried their best to look hot damn sexy when they posed for the picture that supposedly tease the boys.  
  
Both of the women were happy with the result and as they posted the picture to Anna’s twitter, Alex laughed at the caption she wrote ‘Told my husband @prattprattpratt we’re staying in for a quiet girl’s night….Sorry, hubby. Not tonight’ J #girlsgonewild #bitchesarebackintown’. Of course it was done in good humor, Pratt knew they were going out, but she just had to tease the public.    
  
  
“I wonder how their faces will look like when they see it” Alex snickered sipping the last bits of the wine.  
  
“We can only imagine” Anna laughed finishing up her drink “Okay, let’s get you a sexy pair of heels and get out into the night of dancing!”  
  
“Yaaas!” Alex beamed excitedly and grabbed Anna’s hand leading her into the bedroom and then to the walk-in closet.  
  
 As Anna searched for the right shoes for her friend, Alex received a text from Chris and laughed trying to come up with the replay.  
  
  
  
**[Chris]** _On a scale of 1 to 10, how worried should I be by you getting hit on with that attire of yours?  
_  
**[Lexie]** _10 for getting hit on, 0 on me being interested in any other guy than my Captain  
  
  
  
_ Alex read the little exchange aloud making Anna giggle “I wish I woulda seen his face. He tends to be sooo freakin’ protective of the women he loves”  
  
“How so?” Alex was curious as she sat on a plush ottoman and put black strapped heels on.  
  
“We went out for dinner once, Pratt was away on promotional stuff and you were visiting your grandparents then, and after dinner we decided to go for a round of pool. While Chris was out getting us beer, some guy came to me and started to flirt. He was drunk and smelled like onions, but he wouldn’t go away. Chris came to my side and pushed the guy outside telling the bodyguard to not let him in!” Anna exclaimed remembering “I mean the guy was drunk and probably would have walked to the bar until he drank himself unconscious, but Chris just had to go and make sure he was out of my sight” Anna laughed making Alex smile “I can imagine how jealous and furious he would be if he saw you getting hit on”  
  
“Good thing they’re not with us tonight” Alex decided “I’m sure we’re going to get plenty of unwanted attention”  
  
“We always do” Anna sighed not really happy about that.  
  
“It’s exhausting really” Alex finished her look with a fresh layer of burgundy lipstick and turned to Anna.  
  
“Perfect. Let me take a picture and tease Chris” Anna grabbed her phone.  
  
“I’m not sure it’s a good idea from what you told just now” Alex giggled.  
  
“Oh c’mon! It’s for good fun! Don’t worry my Chris will keep him in check” Anna assured with a smile and was ready to snap a pic “Pose please”  
  
“Fine” Alex rolled her eyes but immediately laughed feeling adrenaline rush through her. She stroke a subtly sexy pose in front of the mirror: her hands against the white wooden dresser, slightly bent forward making her breasts pop a little and showing her perfectly toned thighs where the skirt ended. The look on Alex’ eyes was a combination of sex&mistery. Anna stood carefully to not show herself in the mirror and snapped a perfect picture.  
  
“Jesus, if I was a lesbian, I would be so into you” Anna grinned adding the picture to the text message and writing ‘On a scale of 1 to 10? Hate to disappoint u, but it’s freakin’ 100’ she pressed send and laughed mischievously.  
  
“I’m going to regret that, won’t I?” Alex shook her head with a smile and grabbed her clutch “Let’s go before I change my mind” she laughed and both of the women took off into the night. 

* * *

  
**  
[Fanna]**   _On a scale of 1 to 10? Hate to disappoint u, but it’s freakin’ 100  
  
  
_ Chris groaned seeing the text “Oh c’mon!”  
  
Pratt chuckled drinking his beer “What is it?”  
  
Chris showed him the picture and shook his head in frustration “And I’m supposed to be okay letting her go out looking like _that_?!” he exclaimed tossing his phone aside.  
  
Pratt grinned seeing his friend like this “She’s teasing you, man”  
  
“Well it’s fuckin’ workin’” Chris snapped and drank a gulp of his beer.  
  
“Look. I know my wife, you know my wife. She’s testing you” Pratt decided “Alex is a very close friend if not the closest and Anna wants to make sure you know that she’s very special. I guarantee she begged Alex to take that picture”  
  
Chris looked at his friend as he thought about what he said “I know she’s special. I knew it from the moment we met on the beach and I didn’t do anything and regretted it later on”  
  
“You want to know how I know that you’re screwed” Pratt asked and Chris nodded “You look miserable and want to go get Alex. When was the last time you were this protective of someone besides your close friends and family?”  
  
“Never” he replied with a small smile.  
  
“Exactly my point” Pratt lifted his beer and toasted to Chris.  
  
“Okay. You’re right. I need to fucking calm down” Chris nodded to reassure himself and took a sip of his beer.  
  
  
  
**[Captain Evans]** _You better take care of my girl  
  
  
  
_ He sent the text message and took a picture of him and Pratt drinking beer at the sports bar downtown.  
  
  
  
**#  
  
**  
  
“Yup. Just what I thought” Anna said out loud when she received the text, making Alex look at her friend quizzinglly “Look” Anna showed the phone to Alex.  
  
“His girl” she repeated slowly then grinned widely “His girl!”  
  
“He’s sooo much further gone than I thought” Anna smiled putting her phone into her clutch.  
  
“What do you mean?” Alex asked as their taxi dropped them off at one of their favorite clubs in Malibu.  
  
“I think he’s falling for you”  
  
Alex blinked with disbelief “What the hell are you talking about. No way that’s even possible right now”  
  
Anna rolled her eyes “I know him for almost 7 years now and I know you for almost...what 10?”  
  
“9” Alex corrected.  
  
“9. I know you better than you know yourself sometimes, right?” Anna pressed.  
  
“Emphasis on sometimes” Alex replied with a pointing finger lifted.  
  
“This is one of those times” Anna said “He’s falling for you and you’re also on your way”  
  
Alex hurried to make such sounds as ‘pfft’ ‘tss’ ‘naaah’. “Nooo wayyy”  
  
“The only time you answer me like a 6 year old on steroids is the time I’m right and you know it deep down” Anna grinned smugly.  
  
“Whatever. You’re wrong, banana” Alex didn’t budge and hugged her friend’s waist as they both made their way into the club roaring with music.  


* * *

  
  
Alex and Anna drank two long islands in the first club, danced their feet off until they hurt like hell and they needed to rest. They took a bunch of pictures and mini videos. At one point, Anna decided to call her husband to tell him that everything’s fine. Pratt made her promise to do so, because when Anna was out with Alex, things tend to get out of hand.  
  
“Hey hubby” Anna looked at her husband’s slightly tipsy face.  
  
“Hello, gorgeous” Pratt cooed “How are our girls doing?”  
  
“Oh we’re fine” Anna giggled “Hey, Evans” she said when she saw Chris’s head peeking.  
  
“Anna” he smiled at his blonde friend “Where’s Alex?”  
  
Anna rolled her eyes “Don’t worry, she’s getting us the last drink in this joint”  
  
“What are you two planning next?” Pratt asked.  
  
“We’re gonna get our hips shimming to the sounds of latino music” Anna wiggled her eyebrows making both Chris laugh.  
  
“I bet” Pratt licked his lips “Why do-“  
  
“Oh my god, it’s the fifth guy in this club!” Anna interrupted.  
  
“What fifth guy?” Pratt was frowning.  
  
Anna laughed turning her phone to the bar “It’s the fifth guy tonight that hit on Alex”  
  
Chris growled on the other side of the phone “I told you-“  
  
“Relax, will you?” Anna sighed “And look”  
  
As Alex was picking up their cocktails some guy stopped her and tried to slickly flirt. Alex sighed and smiled telling him she was not interested. The guy didn’t give up and continued to harass her when she spilled her drink on his face and smirked. The guy called her a ‘slut’ and she calmly put the other drink on the bar and quickly twisted his wrist almost breaking it telling him to apologize. When the guy shouted ‘sorry’ she let him go and ordered a cocktail that she spilled before, which as bartender said was ‘on the house’.  
  
“See? The girl is a superwoman” Anna laughed and turned her phone to see the faces on the other line, which were stunned and shocked at the same time.  
  
“Hell, I knew she took some classes, but I haven’t seen her in action” Pratt was the first one to break the silence and grinned.  
  
“I don’t know if I should be afraid or amazed” Chris chuckled.  
  
“I scored us free drinks” Alex approached her table.  
  
“Oh we saw” Anna laughed.  
  
“We?” Alex arched her eyebrow when Anna turned the phone to her “Oh. Hi guys” she giggled as she sat down.  
  
“Lexie, that was awesome!” Pratt said excitedly.  
  
“Well, I told Chris it was a zero percent chance I’d be interested in anyone but my boyfriend” Alex grinned seeing Pratt’s teasing face, making Anna go ‘awww’ jokingly and Chris flushing a bit.  
  
“Well, I’m 100% sure now” Chris chuckled.  
  
“Sorry to cut this short, but my battery is dying and this night supposed to be girls night and boys night, so why are we still speaking?” Anna rose her eyebrows.  
  
“Right” Pratt nodded “Alex, will you call me to let us know when you two are ready to go home?”  
  
“Emmm” Alex teased “The way things going right now, I will likely forget”  
  
Anna laughed at her husband’s face “Let’s meet up in Malibu beach in….4 hours?”  
  



	7. Brave enough

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry it took me this long to post this chapter. I've been busy with finals and job hunting! But I'm back and I hope you like the new stuff. xx

You know those little moments before waking up, when you‘re still dreaming and your life seems just perfect and then in the end it turns into something so twisted that you want to scream your lungs out? Alex felt just like it before a horrifying dreamscape experience woke her up. Her sweat covered body jolted out of the dream into a sitting position as she tried to calm down.  
  
She frantically looked around her bedroom to see Buddy lying at the foot of the bed. Alex took a deep breath and turned on the night light. It was the same haunting dream she had three nights in a row. The cock showed 5:15 in the morning. She sighed. Something bad is going to happen. She could feel it.  
  
Deciding she won’t be going back to sleep, Alex got up from the bed, cleaned herself up and dressed for a run with Buddy. She needed to clear her head and there was no better way to do it than to run through the sandy beach. As she got warmed up, her phone rang. She hesitantly picked it up.  
  
  
“Anna?”  
  
“T-LEEEEEEEEX!” Anna shouted clearly drunk, making Alex pull the phone away from her ear.  
  
“It’s almost 6AM. What the hell, woman?” Alex laughed slowly walking to her usual running route.  
  
“I can’t handle this much testosterone anymore! Why aren’t you with us in Vegas?!” Alex could hear Anna’s pout.  
  
“Maybe because some of us aren’t super movie stars and have to work?” Alex rolled her eyes smiling.  
  
“Pfffffft, they gave us a week off” she slurred.  
  
“I have my own company, I don’t get a week off, remember?” Alex chuckled.  
  
“Whatever. Please, come. Chris and Chris and Chris” she giggled “And Stan and Mackie are driving me crazy with their stupid games”  
  
“What’s stupid? You’re the stupid one!” Alex could hear Stan complaining “Who are you talking to?”  
  
“My lover, fuck off Stanley” Anna teased Sebastian.  
  
“Is it Alex? Fuck, honey, I told you not to call her!” it was Pratt who shouted next. At least he seemed sober “Gimme the phone!”  
  
“Noooooooooooooo!” Anna yelled “Lexie, please come. See what I mean? They won’t even-stop it Chris- won’t let me talk to you! Noooo!”  
  
Alex began to lose her patience when she heard Pratt’s voice “Hey, Lex, I’m so sorry. Anna had too much vodka cranberries...”  
  
“Its fine, Chris” she smiled “Sounds like you’re having fun”  
  
“Yes and no” he walked away from the loud noises.  
  
Alex frowned “What do you mean?”  
  
“I think something’s up with Chris” Pratt said “He looks like he’s having fun, but something’s wrong. He’s not like himself”  
  
Alex sighed closing her eyes and stopping in front of the sandy beach, letting Buddy sniff around “I think I know what’s up”  
  
“Oh?”  
  
“Chris and I kind of break up before he took off to Vegas”

* * *

  
  
_“Good morning, sunshine” Chris smiled at Alex when she woke up wearing her underwear and nothing else in his bed after the wild boys and girls night.  
  
“Good?” Alex groaned “I feel terrible”  
  
“Is it because you wanted to skinny dip with Anna or you have a headache?” Chris teased placing a soft kiss on her forehead.  
  
“Both” Alex opened her eyes to look at her freshly showered boyfriend “I feel like I need to go to church or something”  
  
Chris laughed heartily and slightly shook his head “It was fun, me and Chris had a great laugh”  
  
“I’m sure you did” Alex rolled her eyes immediately regretting the action “I’m not drinking again”  
  
“Everyone says that” Chris smiled at her “Here. I took the liberty of finding you aspirin”  
  
“Now I feel even worse” Alex sat up and hissed at the pain inside her head. Why did she drink that champagne at the beach on top of various cocktails she had that night? “And embarrassed…I’m so sorry”  
  
“Drink” he gave her two aspirin tablets and a glass of water “You don’t need to be sorry for anything. You and Anna both needed to have a night off”  
  
“Yeah well, I should’ve stopped when I knew I was drunk. And I knew… but didn’t stop. What does that make me?” Alex drank the aspirin and whole glass of water. She was parched. And angry at herself.  
  
“A woman who had a great time with her friends” Chris said softly “Why are you this worked up over the fact that you had too much to drink?”  
  
Alex closed her eyes shut and shook her head “I don’t want to talk about it”  
  
“Alex…”  
  
“No. I’m just…I’m going home” Alex quickly got up from the bed and started to get dressed.  
  
“Hey…Stay for breakfast” Chris said getting up as well.  
  
“Can’t. I need to get to Buddy” Alex didn’t look him in the eyes.  
  
“At least let me drive you home” Chris pressed standing up in front of her.  
  
“No need. I’ll call you later, okay?” she said and stood on her tiptoes to place a kiss on his cheek.  
  
He didn’t even get the chance to say goodbye when she closed the door on him and just left.  
  
  
**#  
**  
  
After taking a long cold shower, Alex seemed to be feeling better. Hangover wore off, but she felt like she fucked up with Chris. Not only she got irresponsibly drunk and tried to skinny dip in front of him and a bunch of frat boys who were partying next to them, but she ran off without any explanation. What will he think of her now? Like mother like daughter…Alex couldn’t bear the thought of turning into the woman she recently left in rehab. Fucking disappointment. That’s what her mother said to her and she was sure Chris was going to think the same.  
  
Alex got back from the night walk with Buddy, when she saw Chris standing next to her apartment door. Her stomach flipped and her heart sunk. Fuck.  “You didn’t call” he said simply.  
  
“Yeah…I was out with Bud” she replied uncomfortably “Come in”  
  
Chris didn’t say a word and walked in the apartment. Alex followed him and took off the leash from Buddy’s neck.  
  
“Can you tell me what’s wrong? Because I feel like I’ve done something and I don’t know what” he started to speak.  
  
Alex sighed and bit her lip “You didn’t do anything”  
  
“Then what is it? Why are you avoiding me?” Chris tried to catch her eyes but it was pointless. Alex was a pro at avoiding shit.  
  
Alex came to his side and sat down on the leather sofa “Chris…I’m a mess…and I don’t want to drag you further into it. I-uh…I don’t think it’s a good idea for us to be seeing each other right now”  
  
Chris looked shocked. He didn’t understand what could’ve possibly changed overnight. They were more than fine before this morning. “Are you telling me you want to break this off just because you got too drunk last night?”  
  
“It’s not just that, Chris. I can’t get into it…and I don’t want to hurt you. I’ve been down this road before I don’t want to repeat the same mistakes” Alex was starting to get emotional, so she got up to-yup-avoid shit.  
  
“Don’t you think that I should make my own decisions?” he asked rhetorically “Whatever is bothering you, you can talk to me. I’m here for you, okay? I’m here” Chris stopped her by grabbing her hand before Alex could walk away.  
  
“I’m not the girl for you” Alex didn’t give up “You should go and have fun in Vegas, live your life without my problems to worry about”  
  
Chris shook his head in disbelief “Just a couple of days ago we were happy and sure we were meant to see where this is going to lead and now, over some fucking drunk night, you decide that you don’t want to hurt me and that you’re not the girl for me? What the fuck, Alex?”  
  
Alex was caught off guard and forced herself to look at Chris. So much for not wanting to hurt him. She could see she already done it. “I was trying to avoid this” she sighed and looked away “I said I don’t want to get into that. I’m damaged goods, okay? And I don’t want your pity and to talk about this anymore”  
  
“We are a couple, a fucking partnership. We should be able to trust each other to tell when something’s bothering us. I don’t buy this ‘damaged goods’ bullshit. I know what I want and it is you”  
  
“You don’t know what you’re getting yourself into, Chris!” Alex exclaimed, she was out of words to say to try to let him go easily for his own good.  
  
“Then tell me!” he raised his voice back at her and immediately regretted it. “Please, Alex”  
  
“You don’t know what you want! I’m not from your world, Chris! I’m not some Hollywood actress who lives for drama or fame, I’m not an arm candy for you to show off. I’m a real fucked up person that you don’t want to get to know! Just go!” she yelled back, tears threatening to spill out. She was lying to him and making things as they came “Please” she asked.  
  
“You know what? Fuck this” Chris lost it “If you don’t want to be with me, just say so, but don’t make shit up that we’re from different worlds or that I don’t know what I’m doing! You want me to go? Fine, I’m going. Have a nice life” he said angrily and shut the door with a loud thud.  
_

* * *

  
Alex gave Pratt a short version of what happened. After all, Chris Pratt was her oldest friend she had around. “Well that’s just…shit” he was at a loss for words.  
  
  
“I know. I’m a bitch. Just admit it” Alex sighed. She never wanted this to happen. How could she let this to happen?  
  
“Kid, you’re not a bitch. I know you for a long time” he said “And I know this is a stressful time for you. I think it’s finally catching up with you”  
  
Was Chris right? Was the grief of losing her father, breaking up with the man she loved and recently losing her mother to alcohol caught up to her?  
  
“I…don’t know what to say” she rubbed her eyes “I think I’m going to go for a run”  
  
“Lex? Is everything okay?” Pratt asked.  
  
“Hey man! It’s our turn!” she heard Chris’s voice and she hung up. Alex panicked, she just couldn’t handle his voice right now. She couldn’t even handle herself. So she ran, as far as she could with Buddy by her side, hoping the ocean will calm her racing mind and heart.  
  
  
**#  
**  
  
Alex was sitting in her office, finishing up a conference call with a few of her clients when her assistant Julie came to the office and announced that Alex had a visitor.  
  
“Hey, honey” Susan greeted Alex with a hug “I brought dinner”  
  
“Dinner?” Alex’s eyes widened “Holy crap, it’s 6PM already”  
  
“I guessed you didn’t eat lunch or left the office at all these couple of days” she smiled with a knowing expression on her face.  
  
“I have a lot on my mind” Alex replied and unpacked her Chinese pork.  
  
“I’m all ears” Susan encouraged.  
  
Alex sighed “I don’t know what you want me to say”  
  
“You can start with what’s happening with you and Chris”  
  
“News travels fast”  
  
“Robert said that Chris was avoiding him and the topic of you for two days, so I figured something happened” Susan smiled and took a bite of her sesame chicken.  
Alex took a couple of bites of her food and shook her head “I broke it off”  
  
Now it was Susan’s turn to stare at her “What? Why?”  
  
“Because I’m not the right person for him. I’m bad for him.”  
  
“Honey, what the hell are you talking about? You two are like two peas in the pot”  
  
Alex closed her eyes for a moment and massaged her temples “I don’t want to hurt him. He deserves better than a deadbeat’s daughter who can’t hold her liquor”  
  
Susan put down her packet of Chinese and took Alex’s hand “Lexie, where’s this coming from?”  
  
And so Alex told Susan about the night of partying with Anna and about the fight the next day. Susan listened to her almost daughter and patiently nodded for her to go on. Until she couldn’t.  
  
“This is a bullshit story, kiddo and you know it” she said making Alex choke on her pork.  
  
“What?”  
  
“Chris is a great guy, you two make a perfect partnership and you threw it all away, because you’re scared of losing him, because of your baggage. Well guess what, honey, Chris is not Liam and he won’t ever be him. You should stop shitting your pants and man up” Susan said in a motherly tone “You have to talk to Chris and tell him everything about your past relationship and explain why you are acting like a scared chicken”  
  
Alex’s mouth was slightly open, eyes wide as she started at her almost mother “Well damn, Suzie…”  
  
“I know you hate when people walk around you on eggshells, so here’s some brutal honesty for you: you screwed up and you have to fix it, because if you won’t, you will wake up one day regretting your bullshit decision” she continued “I know what day is it tomorrow and I know that you’re dreading it, but you have to learn to move on, honey. You know your father wouldn’t want you to be like this. He would kick your ass”  
  
Alex smiled with evident tears in her eyes “You can hide behind your work all you want, but tomorrow’s the day your father died exactly a year ago. It wasn’t fair we all know it, but you can’t stop living like this or using it as a reason to testify your behavior in relationships. Just like you can’t possibly think that Liam is anything like Chris. Jesus, kiddo, wake the hell up” Susan finished with a sigh and a swift brush of her hair.  
  
“Well shit. I really screwed up, didn’t I?” Alex rested against the leather frame of her office chair.  
  
Susan nodded “You did. But it’s not too late to fix it”  
  
Alex sipped her water contemplating “How?”  
  
“They all are flying back tomorrow morning and we’re hosting a steak dinner in your father’s honor, I’m sure Chris will be there. Everyone will. You’re a part of their family now. You have to accept it, so find your freakin’ balls and face the truth, damn it!”  
  
“Aren’t you a ball of fur” Alex laughed after what seemed to be a lifetime.  
  
“If not me than who would set you straight, kiddo” Susan winked and picked up her food.  
  
“Thank you” Alex smiled picking up her own food and eating it with renewed appetite.  
  
“Anytime”

* * *

  
  
“Ok, easy there, tiger” Anna said to Chris as she and Pratt tried to get him to bed.  
  
“I’m fine! I can walk myself!” Chris snapped angrily.  
  
“Ok, I’m leaving” Anna gave a meaningful look to her husband who nodded and smiled in return.  
  
“Chris, man, you’re a fucking mess” Pratt sat down on the chair next to the king size bed.  
  
“Geez, thank you, Sherlock” Chris rolled his blue eyes at his best friend “Shit. Sorry. It’s just…”  
  
“I know. She told me” Pratt sighed and patted Chris’s shoulder.  
  
“You talked to Alex?” Chris asked with a sting of hurt in his voice.  
  
“Yes. She’s…not doing great” he said.  
  
“Yeah riiiiiiiight. Did she tell you she’s not the ‘one’ for me? Or that I don’t know what I want? Or that I should hang out with Hollywood starlets?” Chris laughed sarcastically.  
  
“C’mon man, I’m pretty sure she didn’t mean it like that”  
  
“No. She implied it pretty fucking clearly” Chris snapped again as he tried to take off his shoes.  
  
“Look. Both of you are my friends, I’m not taking sides here, but so you know- she really isn’t doing okay. Tomorrow’s the day her father died exactly a year ago” Pratt told Chris who stopped mid-shirt and looked into the wall like it was the greatest invention.  
  
“Shit.” He simply said.  
  
“She may seem to be fine, but she’s not. As long as I know that girl, she’s the queen of avoiding her feelings rather than dealing with them head on”  
  
“She may look strong outside, but she’s scared inside” Anna came back to the room “Sorry, couldn’t help myself”  
  
“Then why would she break up with me? I don’t get it.” Chris was confused and drunk and confused.  
  
“Look, you should hear this from her, but she was in a serious relationship before and he broke her heart not long after her dad died, so she built up these walls to be emotionally unavailable” Anna tried to explain from the feminine perspective “She’s scared to let you in because of the shithead she dated before you, okay?”  
  
“Now **_I_** feel like a shithead” Chris rubbed his face with the palms of his hands.  
  
“You need to talk to her, man” Pratt added “I happen to know where she will be tomorrow morning”  
  
  
**#  
**  
  
Next morning the whole gang came back from Vegas. After Chris showered and changed into something more appropriate, he drove to the cemetery where he hoped to find Alex. And he did. She was dressed in a beautiful off-shoulder navy dress shirt dress and holding a bouquet of white lilies. Susan, Robert, Anna and Chris were by her side. She wore sunglasses which meant she was crying and suddenly Evans felt like an asshole wishing her a nice life. He should’ve known better.  
  
Chris decided to wait until she was alone and in the meantime, he lit up a cigarette. He smoked when he was anxious. And God knows he was. He thought about what to say to her, how to fix their abruptly broken relationship. He sighed dropping the bud on the ground and stepping on it. As if on cue, Robert and Susan came in his direction and greeted him with small smiles. Robert patted Chris on the back and told him to not break her heart.  
  
He didn’t even notice how his legs carried him to Alex’ father’s grave. Chris and Anna smiled at him and left them both alone. Alex didn’t see him at first. She wiped away a few tears off of her cheeks and put the lilies into a beautiful vase and stood up. She was about to turn to go when she almost stepped onto Chris’s feet.  
  
  
“Shit...I’m sor--Chris?” she sounded and looked surprised to see him here. Maybe there was still hope for them?  
  
“You didn’t think I wouldn’t come, did you?” he smiled looking at her.  
  
“Honestly?” she said as he nodded “I thought I screwed this up beyond repair”  
  
Chris sighed and tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear, taking off Prada sunglasses in the process. “Well, I won’t be so sure” he managed a smile which she reciprocated.  
  
“Chris...I’m—“  
  
“Don’t” he said and pulled her into a tight hug, kissing the top of her hair.  
  
And that was the last of Alex’s control. She started to silently cry, clutching on Chris’s shirt like it was her lifeline. It was the second time Chris held and saw Alex like this and he swore to himself to never let anyone or anything hurt her that much. He couldn’t bear to see her cry like this. It made his heart shrink.  
  
Ten or fifteen minutes later, Alex pulled away and wiped the last remaining tears from her face. She took a deep breath and dared to look at the man in front of her. Her bright ocean blue eyes stared at Chris’s sky blues and she knew that it was time to close the last chapter of her past that has been haunting her for the last year.  
  
“We need to talk” she finally said and Chris nodded in agreement.

* * *

  
  
They drove to Alex’s apartment and silently made their way upstairs.  
  
“Want something to drink?” she asked Chris picking up a bottle of ice tea.  
  
“Whatever you’re having is fine” he replied sitting his ass on the sofa and petting Bud’s head as he sat next to the man. It would’ve been a cute moment to appreciate if it would’ve been a moment they both dreaded.  
  
“Here” she handed him a bottle of ice tea and a glass.  
  
“Thanks” he managed a small smile and filled the glass with a cold drink.  
  
“I’m sorry” Alex started shyly “I shouldn’t have said the things I said that night”  
  
“Ditto” Chris nodded with a smile giving her time to continue.  
  
“I was the most open person you could ever meet before my father died. And when he did, I didn’t know how to deal with it, so I just--  
  
“Avoided it?”  
  
Alex nodded “I’m not good at dealing with feelings. Problems-yes. Give me a problem and I will solve it as long as it doesn’t involve feeling something. I had a…fiancé almost 9 months ago now. I was in love, too in love to see him for who he truly was. I used to tell him everything. But it was too much for him. He couldn’t accept that I needed time to regroup and couldn’t just deal with the loss of my father after one month. He was mad at me that I avoided the subject of marriage. I just…I couldn’t imagine myself getting married without my father walking me down the aisle, you know?”  
  
  
“I can understand that” Chris took a sip of his tea.  
  
“He didn’t. He pushed me to the limit where I said I needed more time and if he can’t support me in that, then he can walk away. And he did. He walked away, grabbed my former friend and fucked his way around L.A.”  
  
“He’s a fucking asshole, that’s what he is” Chris gritted his teeth. He would gladly punch the guy in the face right about now.  
  
“So when it all crumbled down, I swore to myself that I won’t get too emotional with a man and won’t let him deal with my shit. All the dating after that was purely physical. And it was fine until you came along” she managed a small smile.  
  
“I’m so bad for you” Chris rolled his eyes making Alex giggle.  
  
“You are” she nodded “You ruined my perfect plan to live a life without feelings”  
  
“I’m so so very sorry” he faked the sincere tone.  
  
“You should be” Alex smiled “In all seriousness. I think the night we...I broke it off, was the night that everything just caught up to me and bit me in the ass. I knew this day was coming and I was scared to face the fact that my dad is really dead…and not to mention the fact that my own mother practically disowned me and I turned into her for a night. It’s just…I don’t know how to describe it…”  
  
“You’re afraid you’ll turn out just like your mother?” Chris stated.  
  
She nodded “Yes. I guess I just wasn’t dealing with the fact that she’s in super-max of rehabs and hates me and let’s add dealing with today and the fact that you wanted to talk and I didn’t let myself to open up again because of Liam…it was too much to deal with, so I bolted.”  
  
“The queen of avoiding shit” Chris repeated Pratt’s words.  
  
“Exactly” Alex breathed out a long breath of air and took a sip of her tea. She felt better. Much better than she wanted to admit.  
  
“And now can I just say something?” Chris looked at Alex and she nodded “First of all. If we are going to work, you need to talk to me. Whatever is bothering you, you need to tell me. I can’t be in a relationship if there’s no trust and communication. I’m not a mind reader, I can’t tell what’s wrong, and you have to tell me point blank. Brutal honesty, no lies. I’m not Liam, I’m here as long as you need me. I don’t care if I have to travel to London or China for work, if you need me, I’ll pick up the phone and listen to your problems. Is that clear?”  
  
Alex nodded staring at him like he was some kind of miracle. He certainly wasn’t just a man. This kind of man behaviour doesn’t exist anymore, does it?  
  
“Secondly, you’re not your mother and you’ll never be. You can let yourself a few nights off to get drunk and let loose with a friend. There’s no shame in that. You have to accept the fact that being drunk on some stupid night outing and being drunk every day from morning until next morning is not the same” Chris took her hand into his bigger one “I’m sure your mother loves you somewhere deep down, she was always just too drunk to see it. But I’m sure with a real professional help it can change. You’ll see. Everything eventually will be fine and if not, I’m going to be there and help you pick up the pieces. I can’t stand to see you cry and hurting and I’ll do everything in my power to protect you from it”  
  
Alex was out of words. How come this man, who she drove away with hurtful words just a couple of days ago, is still here with her and says such incredible things? How is this possible? “I-um…I don’t know what to say”  
  
“You don’t have to say anything, you have to know that I’m not going anywhere and I will always be with you when you need me. But you have to trust me. You have to let me in” he was grasping her both hands with his own.  
  
“Okay” she nodded looking down at her hands “But you need to be patient with me. I can’t just…go back and let my guard down that easily”  
  
“I know that, Lex. And I’m not asking you to change overnight” Chris smiled and kissed her knuckles “Let’s just start slowly. I’ll see if something isn’t right and when I ask, just tell me the truth. I can handle it”  
  
“I can do that” she nodded and sighed in relief.  
  
“And the third thing, I’m also sorry for saying things I didn’t mean before” he smiled and tugged on her hands, making her scoot closer to him.  
  
“All is forgiven” she smiled and pressed her lips to his. It’s been four days since she felt him close, but it seemed like it was forever ago. Alex never wanted to break away from this man kissing her. He was it. She could feel something she never thought she’d feel. She was safe. And she was in love.  
  
  



	8. You always remember the firsts

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahoy! Again, I'm really sorry for making you wait for two months. Hope this chapter more than compensates for the wait! Chapter 9 coming soon! xx
> 
> Alex: https://i.pinimg.com/564x/ef/f5/60/eff56069b31bb1a532ad7e26364136da.jpg  
> Chris: https://i.pinimg.com/564x/79/88/51/798851d0cbe5c3a875268a25ddc4d144.jpg  
> The song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Km75Pc0YzdQ
> 
> P.S. A special thanks to tacohead13, who inspired me with her beautiful words and reminded me why I write. xxx

  
Even though Chris and Alex made up and everything seemed right in the world again-well, as right as it can be-Alex found herself buried underneath fuck load of work. Between managing the whole creative department on ‘The Avengers’ movies and handling projects in her own firm, she was as exhausted as a thirsty camel. And those animals can last 10 days without water.  
  
The headaches she was having the past week was making things worse and the fact that Chris was out and about promoting ‘Gifted’ was too much some days. AND, Alex was getting on Susan’s nerves because she forgot the need to eat or sleep, so in addition to the whole crap of crapland shit, she had to listen to Susan’s scolding. Don’t get me wrong, Alex knew Susan was right about everything and she understood she was damaging herself royally, but she didn’t need a daily remainder of the obvious. Alex was cranky and tired as it was.  
  
“Julie” Alex said rubbing her temples in attempt to ease the pain.  
  
“Yes?” Julie came into the office carrying her newly obtained big ass notebook Alex bought to keep everything in check.  
  
“Di’Laurentis, Hastings, Black and Stone projects. Please reschedule the meetings to today after lunch” Alex said looking at her laptop, making Julie look at her like she was a crazy homeless lady. “Don’t get me that look, and do as I say”  
  
Julie swallowed and nodded “Anything else?”  
  
“Aspirin, coffee and hold my calls for the day” she replied sighing “And Julie?”  
  
The young assistant stopped and looked at Alex with the same scared expression she had these few weeks “I’m sorry I’ve been a bitch boss lately, but I promise everything will be back to normal after today”  
  
Julie smiled and nodded walking away to her desk and carrying on the tasks Alex gave her. In the meantime, Alex finished drawing the last of her designs for ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ part of the first Infinity wars movie. The rest was left to tech department. Alex could breathe a little easier, because now she will be needed just for readjustments and advice on that part.  
  
**#**  
  
Three hours, twenty three minutes, forty six seconds. That’s how long the meeting with 4 of her biggest clients lasted. All of them left with smiling expressions, happy with what Alex shown in her presentation for each inch of their completely different homes. She assured that everything was ordered already and the shipments will come in next week.  
  
“Thank you so much, Alex” Mr. Black said shaking her hand “The house looks perfect”  
  
“You’re welcome, Rick. My people will make sure everything is ready when you and Alessa come back from France” she smiled taking back her hand.  
  
“I’m sure it will be” he smiled “And the money you saved will be transferred into your account later today”  
  
“Rick, you don’t have to do that…I’m this practical with everyone. It’s nothing, really” she replied with a polite smile.  
  
“Nonsense, Alexandra” Mr. Black smiled “It’s the fifth time you redone my property and you always exceed all the expectations. It’s the least I can do. And as I’ve said before, you should really expand your business to corporate design. You would be excellent at it”  
  
“Thanks, Rick. I’ll think about it.  Please give my best to your wife and kids” Alex smiled as she opened the door for the client.  
  
“I will. Good day” Rick gave one of his warm smiles and left the building.  
  
Alex glanced at the time on her wrist watch and beamed “Julie!”  
  
“Yes?” she looked at Alex, who came to stand next to her table.  
  
“Give me the notebook” she ordered and Julie complied.  
  
“You-” Alex said taking a pen and crossing out a bunch of names on the list “And I, are going out to dinner”  
  
Julie blinked not quite believing what she was hearing “I’m sorry?”  
  
Alex smirked “You heard me. You and I are going out to dinner right the hell now, because 4 of our biggest projects has been finalized, the app is going to be released tomorrow morning and we will receive a shit load of money for these hell weeks”  
  
Julie’s smile grew and she clapped her hands together like a child “There’s no one left on the list?” she hoped.  
  
Alex shook her head no “Everything is finalized, shipments are on the way as well as the money. All is left is the launch of the app and payday to my beloved employees”  
  
“You must be relieved” Julie smiled turning off her computer.  
  
“I really am. I can’t wait to fall into my bed and sleep for a year or two” Alex laughed walking to her desk.  
  
“So you’re not taking new projects?”  
  
“No. I’m closing down the business” Alex replied turning off the light in her office.  
  
Julie blinked in disbelief and stopped in her tracks “What?! Why? When did this happen?”  
  
“I’m expanding the company and hiring a CEO to handle everything here. I’m merely going to advise and handle clients who want me personally. Other than that, I’m focusing on Marvel and actually enjoying my free time which I’ll have a lot more” Alex explained as both of the women locked the office and made their way to Alex’s car.  
  
“Oh” Julie nodded with a forced smile.  
  
“Don’t worry, Juls, you won’t lose your job. I already took the liberty of drawing up a contract for you as a junior designer” Alex sat in the driver’s seat.  
  
“Shut up!” she shouted in shock “I mean…Really?” Julie couldn’t believe it.  
  
“Really. You surprised me these past weeks. You handled everything and me with grace and professionalism most of the kids your age lack”  
  
“So you being bossy, bitchy and drowning me in too much work was a test?” she smiled innocently.  
  
Alex laughed “A part of it was a test, yes. I’m sure you can handle yourself without me and you have a talent for design. Anyone who doesn’t see it, are blind”  
  
Julie sniffed at her boss’s words and launched herself to hug Alex. Thank God they weren’t driving yet, or they would’ve definitely crashed. “Thank you so so much. You have no idea how much it means to me”  
  
“I do, believe me, I do. I’ve been you 8 years ago and if my mentor didn’t believe in me, I wouldn't have been here today. And now it’s your turn to show me what you got. Don’t get me wrong, you will still work for me, just not as my assistant. I will require of you a lot. But it’s because I know you can do it” Alex smiled letting Julie go and starting the car’s engine “Now let’s go celebrate and eat a shit load of burgers”

* * *

  
  
  
_Me pegué y la invité: "Bailemos?" (hey)_ _  
So now we dancing un reggaetón lento  
Just get a little closer, baby, let go  
  
  
_ Alex swallowed her protests into the pillow as her phone rang. _Who the hell is calling her? What time is it? Why the room is so freaking dark? Where’s Buddy? Holy shit!_ Alex sat up quickly frantically searching for the ringing devil. As she found it she saw Chris’s face flash before her eyes.  
  
“Hello?”  
  
“Hi, baby” he greeted with a smile “What’s wrong?”  
  
Alex blinked pausing for a moment “You knew something is wrong just from _hello_?”  
  
Chris laughed aloud. Oh how she missed the sound “I pay attention” he replied “What’s wrong?”  
  
Alex sighed “Everything is fine, except I don’t know which day it is or what time it is or where the hell my dog is”  
  
“I don’t even know what to say to that, except for the fact that I’m glad you’re finally sleeping like a normal human being” he sighed.  
  
Alex smiled guiltily “Wait a minute” she said and looked at her phone. The date was marked as May 18 th and the time was 9PM. Alex calculated slowly and it dawned on her that she slept for 25 hours. “Holy shit” she gasped making Chris go _what_ on the other line.  
  
“I’ve slept for 25 hours” she repeated getting up from the bed and making her way to the rest of the apartment “Buddy is going to kill me if he’s still alive”  
  
“Of course he’s alive, Alex” she could swear she heard him roll his baby blues “And he already ate”  
  
She stopped in the middle of her step when she saw Chris in the kitchen, pouring wine in the glass “Ya bastard!” she laughed and hung up the phone.  
  
“Now now, is that how you greet your boyfriend?” he smiled raising his eyebrows.  
  
“It is when said boyfriend makes me worry about the little fella who owns my heart and soul” she teased petting Buddy when he came to lick her hello.  
  
“Auch” Chris joked and walked to Alex, wrapping her up in a tight hug and kissing the top  of her hair “I’ve missed you”  
  
She smiled into his chest and wrapped her hands around him “I’ve missed you too” she inhaled his cologne and sighed in bliss “I thought you’d be getting back tomorrow”  
  
“I should have, but when you called me yesterday, telling me how badly you missed me and wanted to kiss me, I decided to come back today” he smirked in amusement.  
  
Alex blinked stepping back from Chris “I called you?”  
  
He nodded slowly “You don’t remember?”  
  
“No. And I only drank one glass of wine” she frowned trying to recall the events that occurred after dinner with Julie.  
  
“Baby, you barely slept. I could tell you were exhausted when you face timed me” Chris reached her jaw and gently grazed it with his fingers, making Alex lean into the touch “You told me about the finished projects and the launch and the idea of expanding and I told you I was proud of you and relieved you’d be getting more time to yourself. And then you told me you’ve missed me and wanted to kiss me” he explained and Alex sort of remembered bits and pieces from the short conversation “And then you fell asleep as soon as you closed your eyes and snored away”  
  
Alex’s cheeks burnt and she slapped his chest playfully “I do not snore!”  
  
Chris roared with laughter taking her into his embrace again “No, you don’t. But you mumble adorably”  
  
Alex slapped his ass and let go of him “You’re an ass” she laughed “And I need a shower”  
  
“Dinner will be served when you get out” he winked giving her a chaste kiss on the lips.  
  
“Fancy” she teased as she disappeared into a short narrow corridor leading to her bedroom and adjoined bathroom.  
  
  
**#**  
  
  
Alex stepped into the shower and sighed in relief. She felt like she can finally let go of all the tension, all the frustration, all the work load, all the bad habits of not eating and sleeping properly, everything. And Chris was back. She can finally spend time with her boyfriend. _Boyfriend_. Such an alien name to call Chris Evans… He was more than that to Alex. Much more.  
  
She stepped out of the shower, brushed her teeth and dried her body with a fluffy red towel. Alex looked at herself through the bathroom mirror and smiled. She still had dark circles around her eyes, but she looked better. Sleep did her justice. Few more days and she will be as good as new. With that thought she went through her nightly routine with moisturizing her skin and blow-drying her hair. She didn’t bother to put any make up on. She was staying in with the man, who liked her with or without the layer of product on her face. Alex shook her head at the thought and slipped her cozy long-ish sweater on.  Cozy, cute and sexy. Exactly what she was aiming for.  
  
“Something smells like a million bucks” she announced her presence with a sniff of her nose and entered the kitchen area, where Chris was finishing cleaning up after himself.  
  
“I hope it tastes as good as it smells” he returned the smile “I called mom three times to check the ingredients”  
  
Alex laughed at him and shook her head “You’re crazy, you know that?”  
  
The corner of his lips twitched “Oh, I know” he laughed heartily “But only for the people I care about”  
  
She bit her bottom lip again, trying to contain the effect of sweet Chris in check, otherwise she will climb him like a tree and that would be embarrassing “I still can’t believe you called your mom”  
  
He wiped the last bits of dirty counters and washed his hands in the kitchen sink “She was more than willing to help, believe me “ he grinned drying off his hands “She’s already asking me to bring you along to Boston the next time I visit”  
  
“And when will that be exactly?” she smiled when Chris came to embrace her into a comfortable and warm hug.  
  
“When we’re shooting in Atlanta” he smiled into her hair as if he had a thought just for himself.  
  
“In one month” she stated releasing her arms on his waist just enough so she could see his face. He nodded analyzing her face with his beautifully blue eyes. “And you want me to come?”  
  
Chris frowned for a moment “Why wouldn’t I want you to come?”  
  
Alex shrugged, casting her eyes on his clothed chest “I don’t know. We’ve been dating only for a minute”  
  
Chris took her chin between his fingers, making her look into his eyes “Enough time has passed, Lexie. What we have is once in a lifetime and I’m not about to overanalyze how much time has passed or what’s right according to other couples who’ve been dating for years”  
  
His answer was so honest and sincere that Alexandra firmly believed that this man can do no wrong.  
  
“Then neither am I” she replied finally and closed the gap between them by touching her lips to Chris’s. He responded to the kiss immediately, wrapping his strong arms around her; one around her waist, another one he pushed into her hair and deepened the kiss.  
It was passionate and full of hunger. Alex could feel the heat spreading inside her body. Even the slightest touch of this man in front of her, made her burn with desire she didn’t know she had inside of her. His tongue teased her bottom lip and demanded entrance and she gladly gave into the demand.  
  
Chris made them move until both of them hit the edge of the kitchen bar and as they did, he snaked his arms around her waist and picked her up and sat her on it. She straddled him between her legs, hooking her ankles around each of his legs loosely. Alex could hear the rapid beating of her heart. Everything around her blurred as if she only existed to taste his lips.  
  
Chris’s hands cupped her face gently as he nibbled and licked and sucked on her lips. Without using words he said so much. Kissing could definitely be a language. And maybe it was their way of saying so much without actually saying anything. For a few minutes the only sounds in the kitchen, were their mouths crashing into each other and something delicious cooking in the oven. And the only sound that disrupted the perfect make out session was the sound of mentioned oven announcing that the food is ready.  
  
Chris took a half step back and smirked at Alex who was trying to catch her breath. As he have her a minute to recover, he turned off the oven and opened it. “I have a question”  
  
Alex quirked her eyebrow “Go on”  
  
He dropped the mittens on the counter beside him and came to stand in front of Alex again “Are you trying to seduce me with that little outfit of yours? Little being the key word” he trapped her body between his hands by putting the heels of his palms on the bar and leaning closer to her.  
  
Alex smirked putting her arms around his neck “Is it working?” she asked innocently, teasing him and brushing her nose against his.  
  
Chris chuckled lowly, the sound that made Alex’s insides twitch “You have no idea” he replied with the same low tone and a matching expression of lust in his eyes.  
  
Alex held her breath “Then to answer your question- yes, I’m trying to seduce you, Mr. Evans”  
  
Chris took a deep breath to calm himself down, ghosting his fingers over her bare thighs. It took all of his control not to have her right there on the kitchen bar “You are playing a very dangerous game, Miss Reed”  
  
“And you love it” she grinned placing a kiss on his lips and stepping down on the ground “Let’s eat before this food goes to waste”  
  
All Chris could do is laugh. This woman will be the death of him. He took a calming gulp of his beer and returned to the task of preparing dinner. He slapped Alex on the ass, as she passed him with her wine glass and a lighter in her hand.  
  
“Hey!” she playfully warned and lit a few candles in the living room.  
  
“That’s for teasing me” he warned her with a stern look on his face and continued to cut the casserole with a wooden spatula.  
  
“Shut up and feed me, ya big baby” she rolled her eyes playfully and helped Chris carry the salad and the plates over to the coffee table.  
  
**#**  
  
“I will have to thank your mom for teaching you how to cook a delicious chicken casserole” Alex hummed in appreciation as she carried both of the empty plates to the kitchen.  
  
“Just don’t expect me to cook something fancy. Casserole, mac and cheese and spaghetti is as far as it gets” he laughed clearing the table.  
  
“Duly noted” Alex smiled taking an empty salad bowl from him and loading it into the dishwasher. “Next time, I’m making you dinner”  
  
Chris took another beer from the fridge “She cooks?” he teased taking Alex’s hand and directing her towards the soft cappuccino leather sofa.  
  
“Oh, she cooks” Alex smirked “She cooks real good” she wiggled her eyebrows bursting into laughter.  
  
“Damn, woman” Chris grinned “get your mind out of the gutter”  
  
“Says the man, who breaks into his girlfriend’s apartment” Alex rolled her eyes and positioned herself into Chris’s arms and on his lap.  
  
“Touché, Miss Reed” he smirked watching her struggling to pull the sweater down her legs “And now look who’s being modest” he gently took her wrist in his hand and kissed a spot near her ear.  
  
Alex inhaled sharply “By the way, how did you get into my home?”  
  
Chris smirked “It’s amazing what an autograph from Captain America to supper’s son can do”  
  
“Really? That’s all it took?” Alex shook her head “Safest neighborhood my ass”  
  
“If you would’ve picked up your phone the first three times I called, then It wouldn’t have come to this” he shrugged placing a kiss on her bare shoulder.  
  
“I know, I know” she bit her lip “Sorry, I’ve made you worry”  
  
“I’m just glad you’re finally taking care of yourself” Chris sighed “I would’ve dragged your ass from the office myself if it would’ve been another week”  
  
Alex rose her eyebrows “I’m pretty sure I didn’t tell you for how long I worked all-nighters”  
  
“I’m pretty observant, Alex” he deadpanned “And Susan might have asked me to make sure you came to your senses”  
  
“So why didn’t you say anything?”  
  
“You’re a grown ass woman. My job was to keep reminding you to eat, sending you enough sugar and letting you rest” he simply said making Alex look at him like he was some kind of alien. “Why are you looking at me like that?”  
  
Alex shook her head with a small smile “I think I have you all figured out and then you go and do this” she reached his jaw with her fingers, gently grazing it “It’s just…nobody ever got me the way you do and in such short period of time”  
  
Chris took her slender fingers in his hand and kissed the top of them “I already mentioned I pay attention to people I care about”  
  
“So you did” she responded and playfully messed his hair. Well, she tried. “Gee, how many bottles did they use to keep it in place?”  
  
Chris’s chest rumbled with laughter “Oh shut up, woman” he said chuckling and tangled his fingers in her long soft dark brown hair “Mmm, I love how you smell”  
  
“I could lend you my shampoo” she smirked rubbing the back of his neck slowly.  
  
Chris rolled his eyes “So sassy” he mumbled, for a brief moment he glanced at her and crushed his lips to hers.  
  
Alex gasped at the sudden contact which made her breathless and heated at the same time. She didn’t know if it was two glasses of wine, the not seeing him for a week, the romantic setting, the romantic dinner or one of her favorite songs-Kiss me slowly by Parachute- softly playing in the background, but she was turned on and ready to go. Chris said that he wanted to make it special and from Alex’s point of view, this night was pretty damn special.  
  
She responded to the kiss, which grew deeper by the second. His tongue teasingly and lazily explored the depth of her mouth, making Alex feel things she didn’t realize she missed so much. As a response, she straddled him, her sweater sliding higher, revealing her dark blue lace underwear. Chris’s fingers stroked her naked thighs until they felt her ass, which he cupped fully.  
  
Alex took a sharp breath and closed her eyes shut, enjoying the touch of a man she was falling madly in love with. Her hands roamed his clothed upper body until she reached the hem of his shirt. She took it off easily and tossed it on one of the arm chairs. Her fingers explored his muscles as his lips explored the skin of her neck. Chris kissed and grazed every inch of her neck with his teeth until he got the reaction he wanted and noted every spot that made Alex lose herself.  
  
Chris was intoxicated and completely enchanted by Alex. The way her body responded to his touches, the way she touched him in return. It was as if they were created for each other, as corny as it sounded in his mind. He wanted her all to himself. He wanted to be the man who gets to show off her to the world and claim her as his. He traced his palms over her arms and when he reached the very end of her sweater, he tugged on it making Alex lift herself up for one short moment.  
  
When the sweater landed in the same spot as Chris’s shirt, he took a moment to appreciate the view in front of him. His dark lustful oracles traced every curve and every inch of Alex’s body as if he was memorizing it. “So damn beautiful” he whispered lowly, sending shivers down her spine. He planted soft wet kisses along her jaw, neck and shoulders. His fingers brushed away her dark hair to one side and his lips played and teased the skin above her breasts.  
  
“You know, this shade of blue is my favorite” he spoke between kissed as his hand cupped one of her breasts, making Alex bite down a moan “Along with lace”  
  
Alex dug her nails into his broad shoulders and smirked opening her eyes “I know” Chris’s expression darkened as he narrowed his eyes and understood why she wore the sexy dark blue lace set. She wanted this as much as he did.  
  
“I didn’t think you can get sexier but somehow, Miss Reed, you just did” he smirked and followed the path of her sides, hooking his thumbs and tugging her underwear when he reached it.  
  
“Is that so?” she smirked wickedly, slowly reaching her back and unclasped her bra.  
  
“Wrong again” Chris breathed out, mesmerized by the move she pulled. He helped her remove the bra from her arms and dipped his head forward until his lips covered one of her nipples. Alex couldn’t hold it anymore and let out a breathless moan which made Chris growl and squeeze her other breast harder. Then his lips changed places with the hand and when both of her breasts were kissed and nibbled and touched enough, he pulled Alex plush towards him and devoured her mouth.  
  
Never breaking the contact, Alex reached the buckle of his belt and undid it. She did the same to the button and zipper of his dark wash jeans. Chris snaked his arm around her waist and easily lifted her body up and placed it against the length of the sofa. Shortly after that, her panties, his jeans and boxers joined the rest of the clothing creating a pile on the armchair. Chris hovered above Alex and planted kisses along her naked body. He was about to get up for protection, when Alex’s hand stopped him in his tracks “I’m on the pill” she smiled, making him smirk.  
  
Chris’s fingers caressed her thighs teasingly and his lips continued the path to torturous pleasure. Alex moaned and hissed and stopped breathing several times throughout the perfect performance by Mr. Evans. And when his fingers entered her core, she arched her back and he kissed her breasts again. He was keeping a steady pace, holding a perfect pressure to her clit with his thumb. “So wet” he whispered making her bite down on her bottom lip, almost drawing blood. It was too much, his actions, his words, his smell, everything was starting to get too much. And when he felt her reaching the point where she would lose it, he removed his fingers and continued to tease her.  
  
Alex had enough, she needed him inside her. Badly. So she used the little force she had left to draw him closer and kissed his neck and then grazed his earlobe with her teeth, whispering ‘Please’ into his ear. It was all it took for Chris to push inside her inch by inch. His lustful eyes searched for Alex’s and when she confirmed she was fine with a searing kiss, he started to move. He stopped kissing her lips, only to pepper her neck and collarbone with short soft kisses.  
  
“Look at me, baby” he asked when he felt her get tighter “Alex, look at me” he demanded and she complied opening her eyes and staring back at him with her lips slightly parted “I want you to look at me when you come” he ordered lowly, which sent an electric jolt to Alex’s core and she cried out his name, reaching the most intense orgasm in her life. A string of curse words left his mouth when he watched her come as he helped her ride the waves of pleasure. It took two additional strokes and he was done himself. He emptied himself into her with a deep breath which sounded like her name.  
  
For a minute there, the only sounds in the room were their panting for air and music still playing in the background. Alex was smiling from ear to ear as Chris held his forehead to hers. “You curse like a sailor” she broke the silence playfully.  
  
“And you look so damn beautiful when you come screaming my name” he replied in a serious tone, which made Alex hold her breath again.  
  
“The effect you have on me, Mr. Evans….” She sighed in bliss, still smiling.  
  
“Same here, Miss Reed” he returned the smile and placed a kiss on her forehead “C’mon, let’s get you cleaned up”  
  
“Ay ay, captain” she winked and took his offered hand.  
  
After the second round in the shower, both of them made their way to the bed and snuck under the covers. Alex wrapped her hand around his waist and put her head in the nook of his neck. All Chris could think about is the way she perfectly fit there and how comfortable and relaxed he felt “Goodnight, baby” he kissed her hair.  
  
“Goodnight, baby” she repeated and kissed the spot under his jaw she managed to reach.  
  
It was a perfect night he promised her. It was worth the wait and it definitely exceeded every expectation Alex had. And this was yet again, one more pro in Mr. Evans’ case.


End file.
